Disappointment for Storm on a record breaking night

Lauren Winfield-Hill (98) and Hollie Armitage (74) led the Northern Diamonds to a record-breaking total of 218 for three in a Charlotte Edwards Cup victory by 32 runs over Western Storm at Headingley.

Never before in two years of regional cricket had a team posted more than the 186 for one Thunder scored against Sunrisers at Emirates Old Trafford in 2021, and the Diamonds sailed beyond that mark inside only 17 overs under the floodlights.

They took advantage of a short boundary towards the Western Terrace side of the ground and a fast outfield, though captain Armitage hoisted five of her six sixes to the longer leg-side boundary in a 36-ball assault. Winfield-Hill batted with more poise, hitting 21 boundaries in 56 balls.

Storm were spirited in response as they totalled 186 for eight, matching the previous competition high, but no one could support opener Danielle Gibson’s 52 off 30 balls as debutant seamer Grace Hall, Lizzie Scott, Katie Levick and Abi Glen all struck twice.

After inviting the Diamonds to bat, Winfield-Hill took Lauren Filer’s seam for four fours in as many balls in the second over, moving the score to 21 without loss.

That was the first of 13 double-figure overs, including eight in a row from the start of the 10th over and two of them over 20.

Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast was the pick of the visiting bowlers as her seam returned one for 32 from four overs, with Armitage caught at deep midwicket late on.

Winfield-Hill dominated a 58-run opening stand with Leah Dobson (25) before sharing 139 inside 12 overs for the second wicket with her skipper, Armitage. Both Winfield-Hill and Armitage posted their career best scores in T20 cricket. Unfortunately for the former, she fell agonisingly short of a maiden T20 century when holing out to deep midwicket off Chloe Skelton’s off-spin.

In the opening six overs of the chase, Storm kept themselves up with the rate with 66 on the board, though new ball seamer Scott had struck twice to get rid of Nat Wraith – well caught at deep midwicket by a diving Dobson – and Prendergast caught behind.

That was always going to be the problem for Storm, keeping wickets in hand and they weren’t able to do it, despite the Diamonds not being at their best with the ball.

Former England batter Fran Wilson was trapped lbw for 16 reverse sweeping at leg-spinner Levick’s fifth ball at 73 for three in the seventh over.

Returning Captain Sophie Luff skewed Levick to backward point shortly afterwards before the game-breaker came when debutant seamer Hall had Gibson brilliantly caught on the run by Chloe Tryon at long-on. At 121 for five after 13 overs, it was all but game over.

Gibson had been strong through cover and midwicket to give her side a glimmer of hope. Alex Griffiths and Filer shared a consolatory 43 for the sixth wicket in entertaining fashion, with the former hitting two sixes in 31. However, both fell to Glen and Hall in the closing overs.

At the end of the match, Sophie Luff said: “To be fair, I thought it was a great effort by the girls to go out and try and take that total down. It was just miss-execution with the ball, and they put us under pressure in the field.

“It was a difficult ground to defend on. It was pretty much one or four or even six, and they had two batters who made it count.

“We’re a young side, but there were glimpses of the talent that we’ve got in this side. If we can be more consistent with our performances, then the results will come.”