Global Game: Germany's unbeaten run in T20Is extended after 5-0 series sweep against France
Germany this week successfully hosted its first international series at the new Krefeld Performance Centre in the northwest of the country. France’s women’s team, in their first outing since August 2019, went winless as the hosts swept to five comprehensive victories. The 5-0 triumph takes the German women’s unbeaten run in T20Is to 14 matches, just three short of Thailand’s record 17-match winning streak. The series wipeout came despite a difference of only five places on the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Rankings, with Germany at 25 and France at 30.
The first day, a double-header on the 8th of July, saw Germany cruise to two comfortable chases with over 50 deliveries to spare as the French batters were outclassed. In the first match, France were sent in and battled to 65/6 from their 20 overs, with only Tara Britton (11 off 31) and Jennifer King (13 off 35) making it past double figures; the German bowlers still had room for improvement though, with extras being the top scorer at 18. The chase was clinical, as Anna Healey spanked an array of boundaries through extra cover and straight down the ground on her way to 29 (27). She fell within sight of the finish line at 53/1 in the 9th over, when she top-edged to Magali Marchello at fine leg off the bowling of Cindy Breteche (whose 1/16 off 4 was the best effort for France). But German captain Anuradha Doddaballapur (who was named player of the series for her efforts with bat and ball) and opener Christina Gough ensured there would be no mistakes as they steered their side home in the 12th over.
Game two was almost a repeat of the first, with Germany again bowling well after winning the toss and France were bowled out for 55 in the 20th over. This time captain Doddaballapur did the damage, bamboozling the middle order with crafty off-spin as she took to 3/4 off her four overs. The wicket of Jennifer King was the highlight as Maes Loch took a stunning grab falling backwards at square leg to snaffle a pull shot. In response, the hosts eased to victory, despite Breteche castling Healey early in the chase with a well-disguised slower ball. Doddaballapur and Gough again got Germany over the line in the 12th over, though the skipper fell to Alix Brodin’s left-arm tweakers with a pull shot straight to Marchello at short square.
On the 9th there was only one match, and after winning her third toss in a row, Doddaballapur opted to bat first. Germany’s batters were able to get a workout as they posted 132/4 in 20, with Doddaballapur herself hitting 25 (30) and Janet Ronalds biffing 35 (31) to boost the run rate in the middle order. Ronalds feasted on the loose deliveries from France, slogging powerfully through midwicket for a series of boundaries. Cindy Breteche was again the pick of the French bowlers with 2/16 off her quota. The tourists’ response went much the same way as their first two innings, skittled for 67 in 19 overs thanks to another Doddaballapur special with the ball - she claimed 4/3 off her four overs, and narrowly missed out on a second career hattrick. Expertly changing her flight and taking advantage of the bounce from the freshly-laid astroturf pitch, Germany’s captain had the French at a loss, and her 7th wicket of the series took her to 16 for Germany, their highest in T20Is.
The series wrapped up on the 10th with another double-header, and the morning match saw France win the toss and produce their best effort with the bat as Janet King (33 off 46) and Poppy McGeown (24* off 32) took them to 84/3 off their 20. It was an improved performance, but aside a handful of loose deliveries slapped for boundaries through midwicket, the pair were not able to get after enough of the German bowling to post a threatening total. After going wicketless with the ball, Anuradha Doddaballapur starred with the bat, striking 29* (32) as part of an unbeaten 72-run partnership with Christina Gough (30* off 38) to once again help Germany to a comfortable chase. The captain struck the winning runs with a pull shot through legside in the 14th over.
Chasing a clean sweep, Germany chose to bat in the last match of the series and faced an improved French bowling display as they posted 103/6 off 20. Marie Violleau struck in the second over to remove Gough with a flighted, dipping delivery that the German opener charged past for a stumping, and Doddaballapur went soon after as she was cramped for room by Poppy McGeown and chopped straight to Thea Graham at point. Anna Healey counterattacked with 21 (23), including a glorious pickup over mid-on for just the second six of the series, but McGeown’s 2/11, backed up by Violleau’s 1/16 and 1/13 for Emma Chance kept a lid on the Germans through the middle overs. France looked to be on track to restrict Germany to under 100, but a late flurry from Maes Loch (21* off 14) lifted the hosts past three figures as she slapped Graham to all corners in a wayward last over. The French response started with promise as Alix Brodin struck a fluent 20 (20), but a sharp piece of fielding from Sharanya Sadarangani in the covers had her run out in the 6th over, and it was a procession thereafter. After her cameo with the bat, Maes Loch did the damage with ball in hand, claiming 3/16 off her four as no other French batter passed double figures and the visitors limped to 69/8 from their 20 overs.
Global Game is a collaboration between the ICC andEmerging Cricket.