Alice Capsey's undefeated 40 from 26 balls enabled South East Stars to survive a mid-innings wobble and defeat Northern Diamonds by five wickets in the final of the inaugural Charlotte Edwards Cup at the Ageas Bowl
Sunday 5 September 2021 20:48, UK
Alice Capsey shrugged off a collapse to smash 40 off 26 balls and earn South East Stars the inaugural Charlotte Edwards Cup with a five-wicket victory over Northern Diamonds.
Stars slipped from 71-1 to 85-4 in pursuit of Diamonds' 138-4 at The Ageas Bowl but Capsey, 17, hit four fours and a six as Stars reached their target with two overs to spare.
Bryony Smith (37) and Aylish Cranstone (35) had earlier put on 71 for Stars' first wicket before they lost four wickets for 14 runs.
Hollie Armitage top-scored for Diamonds with 59 not out from 48 balls after skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill - who had hit 65 in Diamonds' win over Southern Vipers in the eliminator earlier in the day - departed for a duck.
Armitage, whose highest score for Diamonds this season before today was 21, took control with a run-hard approach - only scoring four boundaries despite a strike-rate in excess of 120.
The skipper reached her half-century in 41 balls, identical to Winfield-Hill in the afternoon, as she added 43 with Sterre Kalis - who was caught and bowled by Linsey Smith - and an unbroken 50 with Gunn.
Where the Vipers stuttered in response, Stars attacked in the powerplay - with Smith and Cranstone both striking three fours apiece, with the former also adding a slog-swept six as 50 was smashed in the first six overs.
After a further 26 runs in 13 balls, Cranstone stepped on her own stumps before Smith chopped her namesake on in the following over.
A collapse was in full effect when Katie Levick's leg-spin accounted for Gibbs and Phoebe Franklin - caught deep midwicket and mid-on respectively - in four balls, with four wickets falling in quick succession.
Amid the chaos, the precociously talented teenager Capsey had arrived at the crease, scooped to the boundary first ball and was motoring.
A straight six, a sweetly timed flicked through midwicket was the highlight among 14 singles and two twos.
She added 51 with the equally impressive Alice Davidson-Richards, who was caught at extra cover with three still required, before Kirstie White flicked off her legs to give her side their first piece of silverware.
Lauren Winfield-Hill's innings of 65 from 49 balls had proved pivotal in the semi-final as Diamonds stunned hosts Southern Vipers to secure an 18-run triumph.
Winfield-Hill shared a partnership of 59 with Hollie Armitage after the loss of two early wickets and that built the platform for Diamonds to post 135-6 from their 20 overs.
Jenny Gunn smacked an unbeaten 22 from 14 - and the all-rounder then starred with the ball when Vipers replied, finishing with figures of 4-26 to restrict them to 117 all out.
Apart from Emily Windsor (32 from 36), none of the Vipers batters were able to gain much traction and Gunn picked up two wickets in as many deliveries before dismissing Caral Rudd with the last ball of the match.
