21st September 2015
| Mallory Gray
Newport Cricket Club’s Women’s Cricketers returned
from the ECB Women’s UK Club Finals as third place winners after a tremendous
two days of cricket at Kibworth C.C. (Leicestershire).
Facing competition from some of the best
Women cricketers in the Country, Newport narrowly lost their semi final against
ECB Midland League Winners J & G Meakin C.C. Having been put into bat on a
damp wicket due to a heavy overnight dew, batting was always going to be tough,
but the Newport team stuck to their task well scoring 160-8 from their allotted
50 overs, Georgia Parfitt top scoring with 28 runs. In reply, Meakin C.C. were
in trouble at 128-5, but a good 6th wicket partnership, saw them
home to a 5 wicket victory. England Women’s Academy player Evelyn Jones top
scoring for Meakin C.C. with a very good 60. In the other semi final Bath beat
New Farnley (Leeds).
With the losing semi finalists playing off
for 3rd/4th place, Newport faced New Farnley (Leeds), who
having been put into bat, looked set for a big score at 138-2 off 35 overs.
However, with the introduction of spinners Jess Thornton 3-43 and Ella Reed
with a match winning 5-14, the game changed dramatically, as New Farnley
collapsed to a disappointing 166 all out, Alex MacDonald top scoring with 76.
The Newport batsmen were determined to capitalise on their good fortune and
despite losing the wicket of Charlotte Scarborough at 36, Newport batted with
great authority, punishing any lose deliveries. In an excellent 131 run
unbroken 2nd wicket partnership, Captain Lauren Parfitt scored 79
not out and Gabby Basketter 64 not out, to guide Newport to a comprehensive 9
wicket victory.
Ella Reed - 5-14 in the 3rd/4th play-off
Head Coach Mike Knight said, ‘The UK Finals
weekend was a great occasion and provided invaluable experience for the young
Newport team which contained 6 players from the team which won the UK U15 title
in the previous two seasons. I’m sure that the girls will use the experience
well to improve as players and come back even stronger next time’
Bath ran out emphatic winners in the Final
against J. G. Meakin, with England Women’s Academy player Sophie Luff scoring a
magnificent 150 not out, in a Bath total of 307-5.
Newport Women’s
Squad :-
Lauren Parfitt
(Capt), Gabby Basketter (V. Capt), Ffion Cartwright, Beth Moorcraft, Ffion
Wynne, Nicole Reid, Charlotte Scarborough, Jess Thornton, Ella Reed, Rose
Evans, Georgia Parfitt, Naomi Davies.