Middlesex Women extended their unbeaten start to the Vitality Blast yesterday, claiming an 18-run win over Kent at Radlett to make it three wins from three in the competition.
After a challenging start with the bat, a composed and ultimately game-changing fifth-wicket stand between skipper, Saskia Horley, and Pippa Sproul laid the foundations for a strong total of 140/8. With the ball, Middlesex were patient and disciplined, restricting Kent to 122/6, to stay top of the Tier Two South table.
Head Coach, Marc Broom, made five changes to the side that edged past Glamorgan last weekend, underlining the strength in depth of the squad. Artemis Downer, Gaya Gole, Georgia Irving, and Katie Wolfe all returned, with Rachana Cambampaty featuring in a T20 side for the first time this season.
Put into bat, Middlesex made a shaky start. Openers Downer and Routledge were both removed early by Amy Gordon, before Gaya Gole – promoted to number three – looked to attack. She struck two quick boundaries, but was caught and bowled for 18, leaving Middlesex reeling at 23/3 by the end of the fifth over.
When Finty Trussler was dismissed for 10, Middlesex were in trouble at 41/4. Once again, however, Horley and Sproul stepped up with a crucial partnership. Starting cautiously, the pair rotated the strike well before upping the tempo after passing the halfway mark. Their 50-run partnership came off just 40 balls, swinging momentum firmly back in Middlesex’s favour.
Sproul struck three consecutive boundaries in the 14th over, with Horley adding two more the next to take the score to 96/4 after 16. Sproul eventually fell lbw to Alice Grant for a vital 35 runs from 27 balls. Horley followed, also to Grant, in the final over for a captain’s knock of 63 from 45 – her first half-century of the season.
Despite two more late wickets, Middlesex finished strongly, posting 140/8 – a total that looked unlikely earlier in the innings.
Kent’s reply started assertively, with Gordon leading the way, but Middlesex’s bowlers stayed composed. Lauren Turner made the first breakthrough in the fifth over, dismissing Gordon lbw for 26. Horley and Sproul then combined again, this time with the ball, as Megan Sturge was stumped for 7, before Elsa Barnfather was caught by Georgia Irving off Horley’s bowling for 12.
At 61/3 after nine overs, another tense finish appeared to be on the cards, as Middlesex continued to apply pressure.
Patience was needed once again, as the fourth wicket proved hard to come by and a partnership began to build between Coco Streets and Matilda Callaghan. It was Rachana Cambampaty who eventually broke through in her first T20 appearance of the season, having Streets caught by Sonali Patel for 10, before further wickets from Turner and Routledge derailed Kent’s chase.
With 22 needed from the final over and four wickets in hand, Horley returned to bowl the final six balls. Just three runs were added, and Middlesex closed out an 18-run victory to keep their unbeaten run intact.
Horley capped a standout all-round performance with 2/23 from her four overs, while Turner finished with 2/21 from her three – both playing key roles as Middlesex’s perfect start to the competition continued.
Middlesex Women
Kent Women
