T20 Finals Day Decided on Run Rate

In one of the closest Finals Day ever the winner of the 2014 T20 Cup was finally decided on run rate, after Kent, hosts Middlesex and Nottinghamshire all emerged from the day with one win and one loss. In the end it was the superior performance of the Notts team in the final match of the day, against the hosts, that won them the Cup.

In the opening fixture Kent played Middlesex with captain Charlotte Edwards winning the toss and deciding to bowl first. Middlesex got off to a fast start, scoring 52 for the loss of only one wicket, Sophia Dunkley for 10, caught Edwards, bowled Charlotte Pape, in the powerplay. They continued to go for around 6.5 an over until top scorer Natasha Miles, 35, was bowled by Megan Belt in the 12^th over – Middlesex at this stage was 84 for the loss of four. At the 14 over point Kent snared their fifth wicket, Beth Morgan lbw to the bowling of Erin Bermingham, with the run rate at 6.7. Over the final six overs wickets fell regularly, with the subsequent reduction in runs as Kent fought to wrestle control back. At the end of the 20 overs Middlesex had scored what looked like an achievable total of 117, for the loss of nine wickets. The Kent bowlers shared the wickets around with Pape, Laura Marsh and Grace Gibbs all taking two and one each to Erin Bermingham and Belt. From and economy perspective Gibbs lead the way with her three overs only costing 10 runs. She was closely followed by Pape, four overs, 18 runs, and Belt – four overs, 19 runs.

The Kent run chase got off to rocky start, from which they were unable to recover. At the end of the fourth over Kent were 15 for the loss of three, Lydia Greenway, one, (bowled by Maia Emily Bouchier), Tammy Beaumont, three, (lbw Bouchier) and Laura Marsh, one, (bowled Alex Hartley). The Kent powerplay ended with well behind the asking rate, 20 – 3. When Edwards was caught and bowled by Danni Warren for 15, quickly followed by Grace Gibbs, bowled by Warren for four, Kent were 30 – 5, and at the half way mark 37 – 5. Despite some late resistance from Alice Davidson-Richards, 13, and wicket keeper Lauren Griffiths, 13, the mountain was too high, Kent all out for 72 in 17.5 overs.

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As losers of the opening match Kent had to immediately prepare themselves to face Notts in the second match of the day. Edwards maintained her perfect toss record, winning but this time deciding to bat. There was an improvement to the start, but not dramatic, Edwards being caught and bowled by Megan Schutt, for six, in the second over. Tammy Beaumont and Lydia Greenway then put on a 32 run partnership for the second wicket before Greenway was run out for seven by Jenny Gunn. Beaumont kept the score ticking over but was losing partners on a regular basis. She was eventually out for the equal top score of 25, caught by Hannah Hughes, off the bowling of Rebecca Widdowson. The sixth wicket partnership between Erin Bermingham and Alice Davidson-Richards proved to be invaluable, with the pair adding 31 runs and Bermingham joining Beaumont on 25 runs before being bowled by Widdowson. At the end of the 20 overs Kent had managed to eke out 103 runs and had it before them to contain Notts.

In what proved to be a nervous and tense run chase the bowlers did indeed manage to contain the Nottinghamshire batting line up, but only just, winning by two runs. Jenny Gunn finished unbeaten on 41 but failed to get significant support from her other team members. The next highest scores were 14 for Georgie Boyce and 13 for opener and captain Danielle Wyatt. Of the Kent bowlers, Megan Belt was the most miserly, her four overs costing just 16 runs, and Laura Marsh the most destructive. Marsh took three wickets, in her four overs, for only 19 runs. The other three bowlers were similarly very effective – Tash Farrant, 4 overs, 19 runs and 1 wicket, Erin Bermingham, 4 overs, 17 runs, 1 wicket and Charlotte Pape, 4 overs, 26 runs and 2 wickets.

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The final match of the day set Kent victors Middlesex against Kent victims Notts, but the game did not follow form. Batting first Notts ran up 158 runs and then easily accounted for the Middlesex chase, bowling them out for just 83. The clear victory set them apart from the other two teams, allowing Nottinghamshire Women’s team to be crowned ECB Women’s T20 Champions.

In reflection on the day Kent Head Coach Stuart Eddicott noted that, ‘while disappointed not to win it was great to part of such a tight Finals Day. The standard is being raised significantly in the Women’s game with other Counties are keen to break what has been a bit of a Kent stranglehold. We just need to work harder to make sure that doesn’t happen.’

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