Our Ladies started the season away to Eastbourne this Sunday in sweltering heat on an immaculate surface at the Saffrons. Despite being caught in horrendous bank holiday traffic our galant team managed to make it and look to enjoy this 20/20 contest.
It was a bare 7 vs a strong 11 and our girls needed some positive encouragement pre game to go out and play with a positive mind set. Charlotte Bates dusted off the winter cobwebs pretty quickly as she clean bowled the opener. Despite leaking runs on a short and rapid boundary with limited fielders we continued to take wickets throughout. U13 Lucy Mcniven making her debut also joined the party early on as she bowled the very impressive opposition skipper 1st ball through the gate. Lucy marched on taking 3 wickets all bowled and was very consistent. Jodie Johanson & Beth Coffey also impressed as they maintained pressure throughout, Jodie took 2 wickets and Beth 1 as they also hit great lines and length to bowl their victims.
Eastbourne finished 166-7 from the 20 overs but our fielding was great throughout and the bowling for the main was very accurate and impressive.
Charlotte Bates 4-0-18-1
Lucy Mcniven 4-0-16-3
Jodie Johanson 4-0-29-2
Beth Coffey 4-0-28-1
We were treated to some lovely scones and sponge cake along with plenty of water before going out with the bat.
Izzy Deamer & Adeline Preston opened up and the target was to bat the 20 while taking on the bad ball when available. Adeline went off like a house on fire hitting 5 exceptional boundaries before being bowled by a good one that clipped the top of off stump.
Batesy came in at 3 and was soon caught and bowled going big! Jodie then joined Izzy. They built a good partnership but with Iz struggling to get it out the middle they still ran hard and pushed singles. Iz then fell to another decent ball that hit top of off. Amy joined Jodie and both played very well against some decent bowling. Jodie was defending her stumps with real resistance and Amy began to get into her rhythm, striking some lovely shots to the mid wicket boundary.
Jodie was eventually bowled trying to increase the run rate but had got us into a respectable position. Beth joined Amy to see off the remaining few balls with victory out of site, but it was another extremely mature and impressive batting performance. Burgess Hill finished 106-4 from 20 overs Jodie Johanson 22 Adeline Preston 21 Amy Butterfill 20*.
Well done girls, we move onto East Grinstead next and 8 vs 8!