Middlesex Women suffered their first defeat of the season yesterday, as Kent claimed a five-wicket win in the opening round of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup at Radlett Cricket Club.
After an unbeaten start to their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign, Middlesex were looking to carry that momentum into their first 20-over clash. Kent, however, came out on top in this contest, chasing down the required 137 with 12 balls to spare.
Having won the toss, the visitors opted to bowl, sending in Artemis Downer and Pippa Sproul to open the innings. Sproul was dismissed for nine in the third over, bringing Finty Trussler to the crease, with the pair in the middle taking Middlesex to 35/1 by the end of the powerplay.
Trussler continued to accelerate, bringing up her second half-century of the season – and her first in T20s – from 41 deliveries. She was dismissed for 52, stumped by Molly Davis off the bowling of Isabella James. Downer provided steady support with 30 from 34 balls before being bowled by Megan Belt, sparking a period of slower scoring as wickets began to fall.
Gaya Gole came in for the final four overs, giving the innings a late boost with a quick-fire unbeaten 16 off 10 balls. Alongside Katie Wolfe, she saw Middlesex through to a final total of 136/7 from their 20 overs.
Defending the total, Gole and Wolfe took the ball – as they did in the sides’ previous meeting at Radlett – but this time wickets were harder to come by. Kent’s openers, Amy Gordon and Grace Poole, put on 42 in the first five overs before Hannah Davis made the breakthrough, bowling Gordon for 20.
Kent reached 44/1 at the end of the powerplay, and Middlesex had to remain patient. The second wicket came via Anaya Patel, who bowled Poole for 26 with just her ninth delivery. The young off-spinner was the pick of the bowlers for Middlesex, taking 3/18 from her four overs, including the wicket of Genevieve Jeer, who was caught by Saskia Horley for 20.
Gole also struck, bowling Coco Streets, but with Elsa Barnfather and Jeer steadying the chase, Kent kept the scoreboard ticking. Barnfather finished unbeaten on 29 from 14 deliveries, hitting the winning boundary in the 18th over to take Kent to 139/5.
Middlesex will look to bounce back in their next T20 fixture, taking on Sussex Sharks in their opening Vitality Blast match – a double-header at Lord’s on 29 May.
Before then, we’re back in Metro Bank One-Day Cup action, hosting Gloucestershire at Radlett on Thursday 15 May.
Middlesex Women
Kent Women
