League XI enjoys huge win over MCC

The League representative team recorded their biggest win to date in this annual fixture, reaching their target at a rate of more than seven per over and in less than half the available overs.

Heidi Cheadle was swiftly into her stride in this run chase, hitting four boundaries from her first nine balls. Her innings duly became something of an exhibition, with a series of perfectly executed shots all around the ground.

League team captain Roshini Prince-Navaratnam was also in fine form with 56 from 51 balls, with 10 fours, and only falling to a stumping when seeking her fourth boundary of that over.

Once this stand of 120 had been broken, Cheadle duly completed matters with a flourish, with two fours and two sixes from her final five deliveries. Her final tally of 79 was made from 61 deliveries, with 12 fours and two sixes, and both of the six hits were certainly memorable - the first was a truly enormous hit and the second proved to be the winning runs.

While many people's abiding memory of this match will be of the explosive batting on display in the second innings, this victory was a genuine team effort, with the foundations laid by bowling out the MCC for a total that appeared well below par.

The very first of these fixtures, back in 2009, saw the League XI strike in the first over, but here Hannah Marshall went one better, rearranging the stumps with the very first delivery.

A second wicket stand of 70 followed, where almost all the runs were scored by MCC number three Kath Truscott. After this time, the League bowling attack took control, spearheaded by young Chester spin bowler Nandu Valliyil, who became the first bowler to take four wickets in an innings for the League XI. Marshall bagged two more scalps and there was also success for Eleanor Brennan, Gemma Rose and Prince-Navaratnam, in addition to an economical spell from Daisy Cooke.

The League extends its thanks once again to everyone who made this day possible. Hawk Green joined the growing list of Cheshire clubs who have made their excellent facilities available for this fixture and we look forward to visiting more top-class club grounds for this fixture in future years.

It's also worthy of note that the League XI has now selected 100 different players in its main XI for this fixture, since it was first played in 2009.

Full scorecard: https://cheshirecb.play-cricket.com/website/results/5014411