Match Report: Kent Women vs. Essex Women
Kent Women faced Essex Women in a Women’s London Championship match at The County Ground, Beckenham.
A bright start from Kent Women wasn’t enough as Essex Women recovered from losing early wicket to post a competitive total of 206/3 & defend it at Beckenham.
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Horses skipper Megan Belt won the Toss in Metropolitan Kent & chose to bowl – in doing so, giving an early chance to impress for left-arm seam debutant Aaliyah Key, daughter of former Kent Men’s Captain, Rob, on her first outing in Kent Women’s first team.
But it was Alice Grant opening the bowling that would shine on an overcast morning at The County Ground, sending Emily Dack & Kelly Castle back to the Pavilion in her second over to leave Essex 4/2 .
Jessica Bird made 19 for the travelling Eagles before she was herself bowled by Grant, who also went on to snare the wicket of Tilly Callaghan for a well-made 45 at the ‘business end’ of the Essex innings – Grant finishing her ten overs with 3-34 including two maidens.
Key took a wicket on debut earlier in the innings, with Olivia Barnes taking the catch to dismiss Katherine Speed for 22, & Jodie Hobson rapped Grace Poole on the pads in the 48th over to end her innings, but not before the Essex batter had put Essex firmly back in the driving seat.
Her 78 came from 91 deliveries with ten fours, and she had put on a vital partnership of 120 with Callaghan for the fifth wicket.
Kent themselves got off to a similarly rocky start in reply, losing openers Megan Sturge & Zeena Bilal in consecutive overs to leave the Horses at one stage 1/2. Sturge was bowled by Callaghan for one & Bilal lbw to Poole for no score.
With the quick wickets of Coco Streets, Hobson & Isla McCulloch, the Horses were unable to keep competitive with the bat and succumbed to the Eagles eventually in the 30th over, posting 72 all out.
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In the spirit of Raising The Game, Rainbow Laces weekend gives your club a chance to make a public commitment to making cricket a game for everyone.
Celebrating Rainbow Laces helps to create a more welcoming environment in cricket for the LGBTQ+ community, including fans, players, officials, volunteers who don’t currently feel they can be themselves.
By embracing diversity, sport can drive societal change and take important steps to eradicate discrimination wherever it exists.
Cricket has already made progress on these issues, but there is much more to be done. Taking small steps can often have a huge impact.
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The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence will once again host a full England Women’s One-Day International (WODI) match in 2022, with a Royal London WODI against India under the lights in Canterbury on Wednesday, 21 September.
