Northern Diamonds 172 for 7 (Dobson 47) beat Sunrisers 137 (Scrivens 50, Levick 5-19) by 35 runs
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, the in-form Diamonds made a strong start to their innings. Lauren Winfield-Hill crunched two fours in the opening over as the experienced opener looked to set the pace. She had moved to 19 from 13 balls before lofting Kelly Castle straight to Abtaha Maqsood.
Holly Armitage, fresh off back-to-back career-best scores of 74 and 82, got her innings under way with another glorious four before opener Dobson struck four boundaries in a row to push Diamonds on to 48 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. But their momentum was checked in the seventh over as Armitage picked out Castle to hand Grace Scrivens her first wicket.
Dobson looked in good touch, however, moving onto 29 at the halfway stage of the Diamonds’ innings to take their total to 79 for 2.
Alongside Sterre Kalis, Dobson kept the Diamonds’ total ticking along with a couple of superbly-timed boundaries and looked well set to reach her half-century. But she fell for 47 after picking out Scrivens at long-on off the bowling of Joanne Gardner and with five overs remaining, the hosts were 113 for 3.
Bess Heath came in and started with a bang, hammering Maqsood for a six followed by a four to give the innings some impetus.
The guiding knock played by Kalis came to an end on 29, stumped off a wide bowled by Mady Villiers, but Heath marched on undeterred. She launched Castle for successive sixes – the first a massive hit over midwicket – before being stumped for 31 from just 14 balls as Castle hit back with an excellent yorker.
After Katharine Fraser fell for 4, Chloe Tryon and Abi Glen scored 14 from the final over to lift the Diamonds to 172.
Much of Sunrisers’ hopes of chasing that imposing target rested with South African Dane van Niekerk and she began in fine fashion.
The 30-year-old hit 15 from the opening over, including a big six off Fraser. But Lizzie Scott got the prized wicket in the second over as van Niekerk edged behind to depart for 14.
Diamonds had their second wicket in the next over, Tryon trapping Villiers lbw for 6, and had their third by the end of the powerplay when Levick bowled Lizzie MacLeod for a breezy 21. After six overs, Sunrisers were 41 for 3 and Diamonds were firmly in control.
Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith set about trying to change that with two boundaries off Grace Hall, but at the halfway stage the visitors were 70 for three, needing another 103 to win. That task was made all the more difficult when Griffith was caught by Tryon for 18 to give Levick her second wicket.
Gardner hit Grace Hall for successive boundaries but fell to the next delivery as she picked out Winfield-Hill while trying to clear the ropes.
Scrivens was playing a lone hand for Sunrisers and unfurled a trio of boundaries, including a powerful six, off Fraser before bringing up a half-century from 34 balls. But partners fell around her as Levick took charge with three wickets in her final over. Eva Gray and Florence Miller were both stumped before Amara Carr was caught by Glen.
Scrivens fell one ball after reaching her fifty and Maqsood was the last wicket to go as Diamonds wrapped up another dominant win.
Recent Match Report – Diamonds vs Sunrisers 2023
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