Kent Women lose in opening T20 double-header

Kent lost both of their opening NatWest Women’s T20 matches in a closely-fought double-header at Wokingham.

Kent were narrowly defeated after Berkshire chased down their first innings total of 95.

The hosts won the toss and put Kent into bat with skipper Charlotte Edwards and New Zealand captain Suzie Bates opening the batting.

Left-armer Linsey Smith removed Edwards in the fourth over for 2 and Bates in her next over for a solid run-a-ball 18 with the score at 25-2.

Alice Davidson-Richards rebuilt the Kent innings with Lydia Greenway before the former England star departed in the eleventh over.

Davidson-Richards anchored the Kent innings with a top score of 25 whilst wickets continued to fall at the other end, ending the innings on 95 for eight.

In reply Berkshire opened up with New Zealand international Rachel Priest on her debut and Shenica Gumbs.

Charlotte Pape made the early break through, trapping Gumbs LBW for four in the second over.

Pape continued her fine bowling and ended with impressive figures of 1-7 off three overs.

Kent were unable to find another wicket until the 12th over, where a second-wicket partnership of 56 before Megan Belt found the breakthrough as three wickets fell in quick succession including Priest for a crucial 38 off 40 balls.

MacLeod and Potgieter saw Berkshire through to victory off the last ball of the match, where they required two runs.

They pushed the ball for a single in attempt to tie the match however Kent attempted a run out to win the game but the shy at the stumps went for overthrows and Berkshire won the game.

Kent looked to bounce back in their second of the day against Lancashire with Kent posting 84 for six, with Suzie Bates top-scoring with 25.

Lancashire won the toss and chose to bat first. Farrant started the innings with an excellent first over taking two wickets for just three runs.

The red rose county fought back well with a third-wicket partnership of 44, until off-spinner Megan Belt removed Brown for 23 in the tenth over.

Belt in her following over then dismissed opener Threlkeld for 19. A run out from Bates and good bowling from Jenni Jackson removed Doshi in successive balls.

Leaving Lancashire in a bit of trouble on 60 for six in the 13thover. Jackson continued her good spell with the ball, clean-bowling Fairclough in the 17thover.

England Academy all-rounder Sophie Ecclestone was run out two balls later after a good work in the field by Davidson-Richards.

Lancashire recovered from 69 for 8 with Rachel Dickinson helping a recovery to 90 for nine.

In reply, Bates and Farrant shared an opening stand of 44 for the first wicket until Farrant was stumped off the bowling of Natalie Brown for 17 in the eleventhover before Bates fell for 25.

Kent however failed to capitalise on the strong start with regular wickets tumbling until 12 was required off the final over, but good bowling from Lancashire at the death restricted Kent to just five runs, seven short of victory.