Knight Riders dominate opening round of Super Fours
England's leading run-scorer, Charlotte Edwards, led her Knight Riders team to their second victory of the 2003 Super Fours tournament for elite women's cricketers
ECB Media Release
26-May-2003
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The Braves beat The V Team by 20 runs
England's leading run-scorer, Charlotte Edwards, led her Knight Riders team to their second victory of the 2003 Super Fours tournament for elite women's cricketers.
Edwards scored the highest total of the competition so far with an unbeaten 114, from 130 balls, including twelve fours and a six and forming formidable middle order partnerships with the England U19 player, Rosalie Birch (45) and world cup winner Jane Cassar (34) finishing on 237-5.
In addition to the 12 points for the win, Edwards also gained valuable bonus points for her attacking batting.
Economical bowling from England's Laura Spragg restricted the Knight Riders early in their innings, but Edwards maintained the upper hand over fellow England players Laura Newton and Nicky Shaw, both of whom were expensive.
Once the Super Strikers had lost Claire Taylor, who was winning her duel with Lucy Pearson before being run out, only Spragg showed resistance reaching 27 as The Strikers finished on 149 all out.
Clare Taylor's 'V' Team remain the only team of the four without a victory, losing to The Braves by 20 runs in a tense match. Following an early collapse with Taylor accounting for England Captain, Clare Connor and team-mate Laura Harper to leave The Braves on 24-4, youngster Beth Morgan and Sue Redfern produced a match-winning stand of 112. Taylor bowled 9 overs for just 32 runs, including 4 maidens and 2 wickets. The Braves finished on 159-7.
In a mirror image of the first innings however, the V Team also collapsed to 15-5 before youngsters Dawn Prestidge and Anna Spragg scored 46 and 52 respectively in a stand of 113. At 136 for 7, momentum was with the V Team, but Connor bowled an outstanding spell to dismiss Richards and Atkinson for just six runs, with Laura Harper taking the final wicket of Leanne Davies.
The teams move to Reading Cricket Club on Sunday 1st June for the next set of Super Fours matches.
Speaking after the matches, Edwards said "everything has been perfect for us this weekend with outstanding performances from Lucy Pearson and Lydia Greenway yesterday and me today. It felt great to be batting again - I hit a double century for my club this month too - so I'm in good form and really looking forward to the next set of matches".