with 2 convincing victories over Norfolk in the ECB T20 Women County Competition.....
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Hertfordshire Women started the season with two convincing T20 victories over East of England rivals Norfolk at Harlow CC in the ECB T20 Women County East Group.
In game one the visitors won the toss and decided to bat. They were soon in trouble as an opening burst by Charley Phillips (3/13) and Amelia Kemp (1/14) plus a run out left Norfolk 31/5.
Norfolk opener Ellie Stanley was still at the crease, so a recovery was still possible. That was until the 10th over when Ella Phillips removed Ellie and two other batters. In her next over Ella finished off the Norfolk innings and completed the innings with the remarkable figures of 2.2 overs 1 maiden 2 runs and 5 Wickets, which turned out to be the best bowling figures of the day in the competition. Norfolk managing 56 all out in 13.2 overs
Amelia opened the Hertfordshire batting with Catherine Cirkel. The opening pair started positively and by the end of the power play most of the work had been done with the score on 37. Norfolk changed their bowlers in hope of a breakthrough but Amelia 27 not out and Catherine 24 not out saw the team home in 8.2 overs both with 100 plus strike rates.
In game two Hertfordshire were asked to bat first and skipper Kezia Hassell joined Amelia to be first at the crease. A watchful first 4 overs saw no wickets going down but only 14 runs scored. The next 4 overs saw the loss of Amelia but 50 runs were scored. Mabel Reid on debut soon got in her stride hitting 3 fours in an over and Kezia started to regularly hit the boundary. The 50 partnership was soon up but Mabel was then very unlucky to be given run out. With Kezia now firing on all cylinders Elsa Barnfather, Millie Dyer and Charlotte Banks all managed double figures scores at more than a run a ball. Kezia innings finally came to an end on 85 in the penultimate over just missing out on a deserved century. The team pushed hard sacrificing their wickets in order to get as big as target as possible and the innings finished on an imposing 169 for 6.
The Norfolk side needed a good start, but this time Mabel (2/10) and Catherine (2/17) reduced the visitors to 29/4 by the 9th over. With the run rate under control Hertfordshire went through their different bowling options and Lydia Borbas, Ella, Charlotte and Amelia each took a wicket as Norfolk finished well short on 76 for 8 in the 20 overs.
It was very difficult to name a player of the day but Mabel was the popular choice with a fine diving stop in the first over of the day to stop a certain 4. A quick fire 17 to get the innings going in the 2nd game and an impressive spell of 2/10 in 4 overs.
The team move on to defending the Soroptimist East of England County Championship on Sunday with an away game at Buckinghamshire with the next T20 day away at Huntingdonshire the following day on Bank Holiday Monday.