Women's Global Development Squad triumph over Surrey Stars twice in one day

In the first of two fixtures, Surrey Stars won the toss and opted to bat, with South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk (35 from 33 balls) getting them off to strong start, sharing a second-wicket partnership of 74 with her compatriot and newlywed spouse Marizanne Kapp (44 from 41).

Aylish Cranstone carried the momentum forward with a better-than-a-run-a-ball 23, but Papua New Guinea seamer Ravini Oa (3/28) kept Surrey honest, claiming three of the home side’s top four, with Sterre Kalis taking two catches in the process.

UAE off-spinner Esha Oza claimed the wicket of van Niekerk, caught Oa, while Lucy O’Reilly picked up two wickets at the death, getting both Hannah Jones and Grace Gibbs stumped thanks to smart work by Sarah Bryce behind the sticks, as Surrey Stars made 134 from their 20 overs.

Bryce launched WGDS’s reply alongside Sterre Kalis, who fell early – caught and bowled van Niekerk. Echoing the Surrey Stars' second-wicket onslaught in the first innings, Bryce, who hit seven boundaries during a blistering 28-ball 45, and captain Gaby Lewis put on 88 to usher WGDS into a commanding position.

Bryce was stumped by Rhianna Southby off the bowling of van Niekerk (2/31), while Hannah Jones accounted for the wicket of Esha Oza, but WGDS had enough quality to guide the visitors to victory.

Kathryn Bryce and Lewis, who made an unbeaten 50 from 36 deliveries, got their team over the line with 2.4 overs to spare.

The second game saw WGDS win the toss and choose to bat. Again Gaby Lewis was the star, making an unbeaten 77 off 51 balls, with seven fours and a six. She received steady support from Shauna Kavanagh, whose 20 occupied 21 balls, and brisk backing from Kathryn Bryce (17 off 9) and Babette de Leede (12 off 6) as WGDS finished on a healthy 160/5 from 20 overs.

Most of the Surrey Stars bowling figures didn't make for particularly pretty reading, though Sophia Dunkley (1/19) impressed, and the Stars captain starred with bat in hand too, making 66 from 52 balls as Surrey Stars inched towards victory.

This was after Bryony Smith (22) had got Stars off to a blistering start. She dominated the early scoring, with the bruising South African opener Lizelle Lee not making much of an impact, but when Smith fell with the score reading 35/2, Stars were in trouble.

They repaired through Dunkley and Grace Gibbs (17) who added 64, while starts from Aylish Cranstone (11) and Mady Villiers (13*) also contributed to the cause. In the last over, with Dunkley on strike, 9 needed off 4 balls, and Oa, who had conceded 33 runs from 3.2 overs at that point, the game was in the balance.

But the PNG pacer kept her cool, Dunkley offered a catch to Oza, and WGDS clung on to claim a second victory of the day by two runs.