RHF Trophy: Thunder hold nerve in rain-affected win against Lightning
When it was announced the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy would get underway on August Bank Holiday weekend, it was easy to imagine glorious weather to supplement some thrilling cricket. It's true that there was never going to be ice creams in the stands but there was an expectation at least the dull and chilly days usually associated with the start of a regular season in April would stay away.
Not so. But, in the end, the action was hotter than the weather and things got frantic towards the end. Thunder held their nerve to win by four runs against Lightning in a rain-affected game.
Unfortunately, that is what steadily met the players as they battled away on the field. The sun was out at the start of play but a strong breeze that turned ever gustier throughout the day.
With showers forecast throughout the afternoon. It wasn't a surprise when Alex Hartley having won the toss and decided to bat.
While the pitch looked dry, it had rained a lot during the previous few days. That may have swayed Thunder into bowling first. When Laura Marshall (5) and Emma Lamb (3) both fell early trying to pull Sophie Munro through mid-wicket only to be caught by Tammy Beaumont, it looked like it could be a long day for Thunder.
A stand of 82 between Ellie Threlkeld and Natalie Brown steadied the innings. This is an important period of Threlkeld's career. When Sarah Taylor retired last year, it opened a spot in the England squad for another wicketkeeper behind Amy Jones.
Threlkeld batted sensibly, knowing there was little room for error. With Brown at the other end. Bethan Ellis bowled steadily during the middle overs while the spinners of Kirstie Gordon, Nancy Harman and Lucy Higham struggled to find a consistent line and length.
Brown (38) was run out in Higham's first over, she hit the ball firmly to Abbey Freeborn at Mid-wicket and was sent back by Threlkeld but to no avail.
Sophie Ecclestone joined Threlkeld, while it took the England spinner some time to get going, she was determined to be there at the end.
There is no doubting Ecclestone's ability with the bat and when on England duty she has smashed some handy runs at the end of an innings.
Threlkeld needed to be there at the end as well. It was with some concern that Kathryn Bryce brought bough herself and Munro back on earlier than she would have liked. Beaumont took another catch for Munro to take the critical wicket of Threlkeld for 52.
It allowed Bryce to bring back Gordon and Higham who kept the tail quiet. Sophia Turner was making her List A debut, and Olivier Thomas had played only three more than that.
Going into the final over it was a real possibility that North East Thunder might not make it passed the 200 mark.
Ecclestone was on 39 going into the final over Jones sacrificed her wicket going for a second from the first ball of the final over. Ecclestone then bludgeoned 20 runs from the next five balls to finish unbeaten on 60 not out.
North East Thunder finished on 206 for nine and gave themselves something to bowl at. It would still need to be an impressive effort with Tammy Beaumont set to open for Lightning.
Kate Cross bowled tight-aggressive lines. It was Brown who would take the vital wicket; however, getting one to surprise Beaumont and Thomas took the catch at cover.
Sarah Bryce was joined by her sister Kathryn, and the two added 52 for the second wicket. Only sisterly love could forgive Sarah for stranding Kathryn. Bryce made up for it with by scoring 52.
With the rain not too far away, it was important that wickets didn't fall in clusters. Fifteen balls after Kathryn Bryce fell, Ecclestone bowled Sarah.
Before that period of play, Lightning was well ahead of the DLS score. It started to tighten, and when the players came off for the first time, Lightning had their noses in front by the barest of margins.
When play resumed, Lightning could ill afford to lose another quick wicket. They lost Ellis lbw to Hannah Jones, one of three left-arm spinners in the Thunder side.
It would need a steady rebuilding job, and that came in the form of Freeborn and Higham. It was the latter of the two who started to tick the scoring over with intelligent running and looking for the easy runs.
When the rains came again, Lightning was five runs ahead on DLS. Overs were starting to be lost, and when it did stop raining it was at least 15 minutes before the players took to the field again.
The equation became more difficult than before with 32 runs needed from five overs. Thunder still had overs from Ecclestone, Cross and Hartley up their sleeves and it told. It required a batter to hold their nerve and find the boundary. They didn't arrive. Fifteen runs were needed from the last seven balls and even when Harman paddled Cross for four, eleven runs seemed a mile away with the batting left.
It proved to be as Ecclestone wrapped things up by bowling Harman with Lightning still five runs short.
It was an exciting end to a game that even a month ago seemed far off. It bodes well for the rest of the tournament.
