After their opening warm-up clash of the season against Berkshire at Mill Hill School was cancelled due to poor weather, Middlesex Women went into their opening Group 4 match of the County 50-Over competition last week facing a trip to Polo Farm in Canterbury, where they faced Kent Women.
In torrid conditions, it was a day to remember for Gayatri Gole, after Kent had won the toss and elected to bat first.
The team fielded well and put Kent under pressure, but couldn't make the early breakthrough.
All that changed when Gole was introduced into the attack in the ninth over, who bowled ten overs straight through, and ripped out the top of the Kent order, picking up the wickets of all of the Kent top six, to finish with incredible figures of 6 for 30 including 5 maidens.
She was well supported well by Anisha Dissanayake at the other end, in what was a great bowling partnership, which saw Kent slip from 60 without loss to 112 for 6 at the end of the 27th over. Kent then rallied, with the hosts finishing on 198, dismissed inside with an over of their allotted 50 overs unused.
Layla Judge finished in innings with impressive figures of 2 for 33 from her 10 overs, whilst Mariko Hill bowled tidily and picked up 1 for 8 from 3 overs.
In reply, Middlesex were unable to chase the total down, falling 60 runs shorts in the chase, although two strong innings from Riva Pindoria, who hit 47 from 75 deliveries, and Tash Miles, with 37 from 76 showed plenty of heart in the chase.
While defrosting from the wind, cold, and rain, the team reflected on the game and felt that the 62 extras were really what made the difference in the game. This is something they will strive to fix in their next fixture against Hampshire on 6th May when the side head to Mill Hill School.
Kent Cricket Womens 1st XI
Middlesex Women 1st XI
