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Road to Finals Day
Greg Mackett22 Aug - 09:49
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Tom Ruxton writes the story of how the Women made it to the National finals
The Hertfordshire Women’s team clinched the Southern Group title of the ECB Women’s County Championship T20s and will progress to Finals Day in late August.
Game Day 1
The first of our T20s was scheduled for May, but unfortunately, a damp pitch at Mill Hill School led to the cancellation of games against Middlesex and Surrey, resulting in just 4 points being earned from the first round.
Game Day 2
Next up were Buckinghamshire and Suffolk at High Wycombe CC. After winning the toss and electing to field, Hertfordshire's tight bowling restricted Buckinghamshire to 105 for 7 in 20 overs, with Gemma Marriott taking three wickets and Becs Tyson adding two. The Hertfordshire batters made light work of the chase, with Gemma scoring a half-century in an 83-run opening partnership with Elsa Barnfather, reaching the target in the eleventh over.
In the second match against Suffolk, a second-wicket century partnership between Amelia Kemp and Elsa Barnfather laid the foundation for a large total of 168 for 6. Suffolk's reply was subdued, finishing over 50 runs short, with Charley Phillips and Chloe Eayrs taking two wickets each.
Game Day 3
Home advantage at last, with matches against Essex and Sussex held on Harpenden Common. On a sultry morning, the Hertfordshire batters struggled against Sussex, posting a modest total of 66 for 6. Despite a strong start from Sussex, three wickets in an over from Becs Tyson and another from Gemma Marriott brought Hertfordshire back into the game, but Sussex eventually crossed the line with three wickets to spare.
Hertfordshire quickly regrouped for the second game against Essex. After bowling out the Eagles in just 16.4 overs for 90 runs, skipper Kezia Hassell led the chase, guiding the team to an impressive seven-wicket victory.
Game Day 4
Going into the final match day in Berkshire, Hertfordshire needed two big wins to secure the top spot. The first match of the day saw Herts restrict Kent to a run-a-ball total of 122 for 5, with Chloe Eayrs taking two wickets, supported by fellow spinners Becs Tyson, Ella Phillips, and Eva Cullen. In response, Gemma Marriott's 49 and Amelia Kemp's 35 ensured victory with three overs to spare.
Needing one more big win in the final game, Hertfordshire delivered, posting their highest-ever total in a T20 match—179 for 6. Amelia Kemp scored a half-century, and both Kezia Hassell and Eva Cullen finding boundaries easy to come by off Berkshire's star players in the closing overs. Berkshire put up a good fight, but a flurry of wickets from Kezia Hassell brought the finish line in sight. A fine catch in the deep from Mabel Reid sparked celebrations all around as the points were secured.
This is a remarkable achievement in a league featuring some of the most successful women’s sides in the country, including Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Essex, and Middlesex.
Amelia Kemp finished as the top scorer in the division, with Elsa Barnfather and Gemma Marriott ranking fourth and fifth, respectively. Becs Tyson was Hertfordshire's leading wicket-taker with nine wickets, placing her joint fifth in the league. A special mention goes to wicketkeeper Lucy Bell, who, in her first full season, finished second in wicketkeeper dismissals in the division.
Attention now turns to the National Finals at Neston CC in Cheshire on the Bank Holiday weekend in August, where Derbyshire, Hampshire, and Warwickshire will be the opposition in a round-robin tournament.
Game Day 1
The first of our T20s was scheduled for May, but unfortunately, a damp pitch at Mill Hill School led to the cancellation of games against Middlesex and Surrey, resulting in just 4 points being earned from the first round.
Game Day 2
Next up were Buckinghamshire and Suffolk at High Wycombe CC. After winning the toss and electing to field, Hertfordshire's tight bowling restricted Buckinghamshire to 105 for 7 in 20 overs, with Gemma Marriott taking three wickets and Becs Tyson adding two. The Hertfordshire batters made light work of the chase, with Gemma scoring a half-century in an 83-run opening partnership with Elsa Barnfather, reaching the target in the eleventh over.
In the second match against Suffolk, a second-wicket century partnership between Amelia Kemp and Elsa Barnfather laid the foundation for a large total of 168 for 6. Suffolk's reply was subdued, finishing over 50 runs short, with Charley Phillips and Chloe Eayrs taking two wickets each.
Game Day 3
Home advantage at last, with matches against Essex and Sussex held on Harpenden Common. On a sultry morning, the Hertfordshire batters struggled against Sussex, posting a modest total of 66 for 6. Despite a strong start from Sussex, three wickets in an over from Becs Tyson and another from Gemma Marriott brought Hertfordshire back into the game, but Sussex eventually crossed the line with three wickets to spare.
Hertfordshire quickly regrouped for the second game against Essex. After bowling out the Eagles in just 16.4 overs for 90 runs, skipper Kezia Hassell led the chase, guiding the team to an impressive seven-wicket victory.
Game Day 4
Going into the final match day in Berkshire, Hertfordshire needed two big wins to secure the top spot. The first match of the day saw Herts restrict Kent to a run-a-ball total of 122 for 5, with Chloe Eayrs taking two wickets, supported by fellow spinners Becs Tyson, Ella Phillips, and Eva Cullen. In response, Gemma Marriott's 49 and Amelia Kemp's 35 ensured victory with three overs to spare.
Needing one more big win in the final game, Hertfordshire delivered, posting their highest-ever total in a T20 match—179 for 6. Amelia Kemp scored a half-century, and both Kezia Hassell and Eva Cullen finding boundaries easy to come by off Berkshire's star players in the closing overs. Berkshire put up a good fight, but a flurry of wickets from Kezia Hassell brought the finish line in sight. A fine catch in the deep from Mabel Reid sparked celebrations all around as the points were secured.
This is a remarkable achievement in a league featuring some of the most successful women’s sides in the country, including Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Essex, and Middlesex.
Amelia Kemp finished as the top scorer in the division, with Elsa Barnfather and Gemma Marriott ranking fourth and fifth, respectively. Becs Tyson was Hertfordshire's leading wicket-taker with nine wickets, placing her joint fifth in the league. A special mention goes to wicketkeeper Lucy Bell, who, in her first full season, finished second in wicketkeeper dismissals in the division.
Attention now turns to the National Finals at Neston CC in Cheshire on the Bank Holiday weekend in August, where Derbyshire, Hampshire, and Warwickshire will be the opposition in a round-robin tournament.
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