Bowlers hold nerve to seal win for Women’s XI
Opening bowlers Kate Brazier and Freya Jones held their nerve to see Cricket Shropshire’s Women’s XI maintain their unbeaten record in their Vitality Blast League 3 Division 2B campaign in Cumbria.
In a thrilling finish, they restricted Cumbria to just seven runs in the last two overs in Penrith as their hosts attempted to overhaul Shropshire’s 131-7.
Cumbria went into the final two overs needing just ten runs to win on 122-4.
Brazier bowled the 19th over and conceded just three runs and claimed a wicket before Jones stepped up for the final over and leaked just four singles and also claimed a wicket.
The Shropshire total was built around Libby Snowdon’s unbeaten 41 off 36 balls after Shriya Sastry had hit 36 off 26 at the top of the order.
In the reply, Laura Marshall kept the hosts in contention with an unbeaten 78, but Issy Crann claimed 2-25 from her four overs and Brazier finished with 2-19 to see Shropshire home by the narrow margin.
The first game of the day had proved more straightforward with Shropshire dismissing their hosts for 97.
Skipper Lara Jones led the way with 2-10 from her four overs while Brazier claimed 2-17 and Crann 2-27.
Opener Sastry hit an unbeaten 41 in the reply backed up by Mille Parry’s 31 off 24 balls as Shropshire claimed the win in the 17th over for the loss of four wickets.
Coach Naomi Payne said: “It was a really exciting day of cricket for the women. We got off to a very pleasing start in game one, with yet another all-round team performance.
“The second game was hard-fought, but it was fantastic to come out on the right side after some superb run scoring from Shriya and Libby followed up with two excellent death bowling overs from Kate and Freya.
“And there was some excellent fielding in the last over with the players really putting their bodies on the line.
“As a unit, we stuck to our disciplines and backed each other right through a very hot day in Cumbria. We hope to continue that excellent team spirit going into this.”
It means Shropshire have six wins out of six so far with two games to come this Sunday against Lincolnshire at Newport CC with games starting at 11am and 3pm, free to attend, spectators welcome.
