Big win for Storm at Worcester

Issy Wong, Amanda Jade Wellington and Sophie Luff excelled today as Western Storm climbed off the foot of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table with a stunning 182-run smashing of Central Sparks which relegated their opponents to the bottom instead.

Storm were lifted to an imposing 284 all out from 49.5 overs at Worcester by a dazzling 83 from 53 balls from Amanda-Jade Wellington. The Aussie struck 14 fours and two sixes and took the innings to an impregnable level with a sixth-wicket stand of 102 in 14 overs with captain Sophie Luff (60, 102). Katie George did most to disrupt the runfest with five for 50 including an exceptional caught and bowled.

Sparks then started disastrously, losing wickets to the first two balls of their reply, delivered by their own Issy Wong who is on loan to Storm. From there they floundered on to 102 all out, only Davina Perrin (42, 55) passing 20 as Chloe Skelton took three for eight and Wong three for 20.

Sparks had chosen to bowl but waited 88 balls for a breakthrough as openers Emma Corney (39, 48) and Sophia Smale (42, 47) added 92. They struck a combined 11 fours and set down an ideal platform before falling in the space of four balls. Smale chipped Ria Fackrell to mid off before Corney was bowled, playing back to spinner Hannah Baker.

After Luff and Fran Wilson added another half-century stand – 53 in 11 overs – Sparks hit back with three wickets in seven overs. Wilson was bowled off her pads by Bethan Ellis, Natasha Wraith hoisted Ellis to deep mid-wicket and Niamh Holland had her off-stump knocked out by George.

At 164 for five, the innings was in the balance but Wellington injected impetus alongside the steady Luff with a vibrant 41-ball half-century including a six, hoisted over mid-wicket off Fackrell, and eight fours.

Luff fell to a stunning, one-handed return catch by George but Wellington continued her assault until she fall in bizarre fashion when she missed a reverse-sweep at Grace Potts and the ball lodged in the visor of wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn to be caught behind.

Sparks’ reply started disastrously with wickets to the first two balls from Wong as Eve Jones was yorked and Freeborn edged a loose drive to wicketkeeper Wraith. At 0 for 2 from 0.2 overs, a case could have been made for a third slip and had there been one, Wong would have had a hat-trick. Instead, Perrin survived but though she batted well, the rest subsided ignominiously.

Chloe Brewer was lbw to Wong to one that kept low and Alex Griffiths added the wickets of Courtney Webb and Katie George, both caught at mid on. When Perrin departed aghast at an interesting lbw decision for Wellington, it was 85 for six and the lower order needed to deliver a miracle.

There was no miracle as Skelton came on to torpedo the tail with a burst of three for six in 26 balls as the Storm blew strong, rather belatedly in the competition, to leave Sparks bottom of the pile.

At the end of the match, Western Storm Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “What an absolute cracker of a performance. We have seen glimpses of what we can do throughout this 50-over competition and today it was a complete performance.

“Emma and Sophia gave us a real platform up top then we had another 50 partnership between Fran and Sophie but what really stood out was the century partnership between Sophie and Amanda Jade. Their battle with Katie George was a great one to watch.

“A total of 280 was a fantastic score and allowed our bowlers to go out and really attack their batters and Issy did that brilliantly. Issy has been fantastic for us, she has bowled well and worked hard and come in with a smile on her face and I thought she bowled with serious pace today.

“I am delighted for the girls. They have worked so hard and we have lost some really narrow games so it was nice to finish this block of games with a really good performance with bat, ball and in the field.

“We have still got to play a lot of the teams just above us so all we can do is look after ourselves and try to win those game and see where that takes us, but today was a very good day.”