WGDS ride on Ravini Oa, Rebecca Silk strikes to beat Western Storm
After having won the toss and elected to field, the young WGDS team, made up of internationals fresh from the recent ICC Women's World T20 Qualifier 2018 tournament in Holland, got off to a great start. Ravina Oa (3/16) of Papua New Guinea got the early breakthrough, cleaning up Rachel Priest of New Zealand for a duck in the first over.
The next over saw the dismissal of the experienced Heather Knight, who failed to steady the ship upon her arrival at the crease as she was stumped off Rebecca Silk delivery for a duck, courtesy Sarah Bryce's nifty glove-work.
We’re at @bathcricket today playing the @icc Development XI! The ICC XI won the toss and have elected to bowl. #stormtroopers 🌪🌪 pic.twitter.com/qdBE5JTWTz
— Western Storm (@_WesternStorm) July 20, 2018
Smriti Mandhana was the next to fall. She became Oa's second victim and that left Western Storm struggling on 4/3.
Wickets continued to fall at an alarming rate as the Storm slipped to 6/5 in no time in the fifth over. Naomi Dattani was run out and Esha Oza accounted for Alice MacLeod, both dismissed for ducks.
Sophie Luff then came to her side's rescue, saving an embarrassment with an excellently constructed 46 from 52, before becoming the impressive Oa's third victim. Anya Shrubsole and Amara Carr chipped in with useful knocks of 18 and 16 respectively, before Silk sent them both back to the pavilion, completing an excellent spell with figures of 3/14.
Western Storm managed to stumble to 105/8 after a dreadful start.
Storm scored 105-8 vs. the @ICC Development XI. Runs for Luff (46), Shrubsole (18) and Carr (16). Time to take to the field! #Stormtroopers 🌪🌪 pic.twitter.com/gjrkjEddgy
— Western Storm (@_WesternStorm) July 20, 2018
In reply, the WGDS got off to a shaky start. Shrubsole provided her side their first breakthrough when she had Heather Siegers trapped in front for just one in the first over.
But there were some useful cameos, as the next five batters recorded double-digit scores without reaching the 20-run mark. Scotland's Bryce sisters, Sarah (12) and Kathryn (13) failed to capitalise on starts, as did the Irish duo of Gaby Lewis (15) and Shauna Kavanagh (17). Sterre Kalis of the Netherlands chipped in with 12, before the tail-enders scored the winning runs with four balls to spare.
It was a good bowling response from Western Storm with Knight (2/13), Shrubsole (2/18) and Freya Davies (2/21) all recording decent numbers, but they just didn't have enough runs on the board.
Western Storm will begin their Women’s Cricket Super League campaign on Sunday 22 July against Yorkshire Diamonds.