The Knight Riders win Super Fours
The Knight Riders have won Super Fours, the ECB competition for elite women's cricketers, securing four wins from five matches
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Captained by Charlotte Edwards (Kent) and coached by Neil Rider, The Knight Riders defeated last year's champions, The Braves, by five wickets on the final day to take the title.
The V Team caused an upset by defeating title challengers, The Super Strikers, by 66 runs to record their first win of the competition. The Super Strikers were the only team to defeat The Knight Riders. England and Lancashire batter Arran Thompson (Lancashire) was run out on 98 for The V Team, but Captain Clare Taylor (Yorkshire) secured the victory with an unbeaten 23.
The Final Table:
Played Won Points The Knight Riders 5 4 48 The Super Strikers 5 3 36 The Braves 5 2 24 The V Team 5 1 12
The Knight Riders made an exceptional start to their title challenge, with England's world-record breaking bowler, Lucy Pearson, taking four wickets for 20 runs in her 10 overs; three wickets coming in her first three overs.
Mandy Godliman (Sussex) and Sue Redfern batted intelligently to form a partnership of 119 for the sixth wicket to leave the Knight Riders chasing a total of 164. The Champions made steady progress but lost regular wickets until the young England batter, Lydia Greenway (Kent) came in at six and remained not out on 87 at the close.
Gill McConway, ECB Director for women's cricket, said: "I'm delighted that Super Fours has been a success again this year. It is especially heartening to see the number of youngsters, particularly at U19 level, coming through with impressive and, in some cases, outstanding performances.
"Without Super Fours, these young players would not have the opportunity to show they can excel against some of the best players in the country."
England's star bowler, Lucy Pearson, heads the bowling table with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 2.83 and an average of 13.6. Pearson equalled a world-record 11-wicket Test haul against Australia in Sydney in February and has continued her devastating form.
Young England and Yorkshire bowler Laura Spragg took nine wickets at an average of 15.56 to finish second and fellow England players Isa Guha and Captain, Clare Connor, finished with eight wickets each.
For the second year in succession Charlotte Edwards (Kent) topped the leading batters table, making 199 runs with an average of 49.75 and ensuring that The Knight Riders had the competition's best batter and bowler.
England all-rounder Laura Newton finished with an average of 45 and Lydia Greenway, England's young find of the winter, accumulated 162 runs with an average of 54 - the only batter to average over 50.
England batters Claire Taylor and Arran Thompson also finished in the top seven, with Hannah Lloyd making fourth place and England U21 players Beth Morgan and Rosalie Birch securing places in the Top 10.
On Tuesday July 8, the England women's selectors will name the England squad to face South Africa this summer in the npower Women's Test Series and NatWest Women's ODI Series taking place in August.
The Knight Riders will defend their Super Fours title in May/June 2004.
Full results and statistics can be found at www.Super4s.play-cricket.com
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