Results w/e 2nd August

Summer Series Western Division – July 28:

Upton 85-6 (20; Lily Scudder 24, Alexa Harrison 2-17, Freya Davies 2-22) (25pts)
Oxton 79-6 (20; Molly Price 17) (7pts)

• Both of these teams lost their opening fixtures, but while Upton went down by the larger margin on the first day, they bounced back well here to edge a tight contest in the North Wirral derby.

July 30:

Porthill Park 130-4 (20; Evelyn Jones 87*, Sophie Winward 2-25) (25pts)
Nantwich 46-8 (20; Beth Hughes 11, Ellie-Mae Davies 3-11, Georgia Norman 2-4) (3pts)

• Evelyn Jones continued her fine start to the season, indeed the Nantwich attack largely kept her Porthill team-mates in check, but after an innings of this magnitude in a 20-over clash, it was always going to be an uphill task in reply.

August 2:

Porthill Park 198-3 (30; Evelyn Jones 105, Becky Cripwell 40, Emily Stones 23*) (25pts)
Chester Boughton Hall 97-9 (30; Seren Smale 26, Ali Cutler 21, Nicole Fisher 21, Lauren Kenvyn 3-4, Cripwell 3-16, Olivia Chorlton 2-9) (5pts)

• On paper, Chester are arguably the toughest opposition Porthill will face in the Western Division this year, so the Potteries-based club are in an excellent position after their third resounding victory. In the final overs, Chester’s Tilly Buss finally became the first bowler to dismiss Evelyn Jones this year, but not before the former England Academy and current West Midlands Regional elite batsman had become the league’s first centurion of 2020. Her runs aggregate from three matches this year now stands at 290, and thanks to her dismissal here, this is now also her batting average! Becky Cripwell also enjoyed a fine all-round match here and Lauren Kenvyn conceded just four runs in five overs in addition to taking three wickets.

Nantwich 88-7 (30) (25pts)
Upton 77 (28) (6pts)

• Nantwich edged a tight contest for their first win of the campaign.

Summer Series Eastern Division – July 30:

Stockport Trinity 106-7 (20; Carys White 31ret, Ellie Mason 30ret, Becky Scholes 2-13) (25pts)
Stockport Georgians 97-6 (20; Scholes 26*, Gaby McKeever 20, Mason 3-6) (9pts)

• Georgians narrowly failed to record a first ever victory over their near neighbours, indeed without the all-round efforts of Ellie Mason it is highly likely they would have been successful. As it was, Trinity made it two wins from two.

Ashton-on-Mersey 79-3 (20; Amanda Gettins 15*) (5pts)
Didsbury 80-2 (13.1; Roshini Prince-Navaratnam 25ret, Laura Smith 25ret) (25pts)

• A comfortable win for 2019 champions Didsbury in their first match of the season.

August 2:

Ashton-on-Mersey 67-8 (30; Becky Baldock 16, Lucie Gater 3-9, Liv Bell 2-11) (25pts)
Stockport Georgians 56 (21; Natalie Bell 17, Amanda Gettins 3-7, Amelia Sammons 2-11, Jordi Matthews 2-14) (4pts)

• More agony for Georgians with a third defeat by a narrow margin as instead it as Ashton-on-Mersey who recorded their first win of the year. That certainly didn’t look a likely outcome at 31-7 after 14 overs of the first innings as the Stockport club’s fine young attack, spearheaded by Lucie Gater and Liv Bell, ripped through AOM’s top order. It was two players who both batted for 16 overs who helped to turn the tide. Becky Baldock came in at 19-4 and Jordi Matthews at the fall of the seventh, with Matthews duly occupying the crease to the end despite scoring just nine runs. Then it was Matthews herself who took the first two wickets in the Georgians reply. Amanda Gettins then contributed a superbly accurate spell of three wickets for seven runs in six overs and the scoreboard soon read 25-7. Natalie Bell and Grace Woosey doubled the score in their partnership to give their side hope, but again it was not to be Georgians’ day. Amelia Sammons supplied the crucial breakthrough eighth wicket – she really is a fine addition to the AOM squad this season.

Leigh 81-8 (30; Poppy Donohue 19, Hannah Jones 3-8, Chloe Hawes 2-15, Hannah Marshall 2-22) (4pts)
Didsbury 82-4 (20.3; Roshini Prince-Navaratnam 35*, Donohue 2-10) (25pts)

• Hannah Jones wreaked some early damage in the Leigh top order before Poppy Donohue and Ella Smith led a recovery of sorts from 39-6. The final target was still well within Didsbury’s reach though.

Summer Series Development Division – August 2:

Heaton Mersey & Cheadle 49 (18.3; Kate Chapman 16, Jo Seddon 3-6, Grace Williams 2-7) (4pts)
Lindow 50-5 (15; Chapman 2-5) (25pts)

• A winning start for Lindow, but not without a scare along the way