Durham Senior Women claimed two out of two against the Academy yesterday, 28 April, in friendly season kickoff.
Senior Women (64/5) beat Academy (63/7) by 5 wickets in the first game and Senior Women (108/2) win against Academy (100/4) by 8 runs.
Outstanding fielding from Laura Ellison in the first paired with consistent performance from opening batter Becky Glen in the second ensured the Women end on top on both occasions.
A first low-scoring game saw the Academy, captained by Layla Tipton, bat first. Tipton, opening the action, posted 16 before getting dismissed by Glen in the 12th over.
Senior captain Helen Fenby kept the pressure on the Academy when pinning Lizzie Scott lbw for four, before Glen took a perfectly judged catch off Fenby’s bowling to dismiss Annie Anderson.
Ellison then further limited the Academy’s progress when she ran out Ciara Boaden on nine and Bailey Wanless on six, before taking a catch off Amy Radcliffe’s ball to get Harriet Robson out.
In the second innings Rachel Hopkins and Ellison stepped in the middle to start the chase. Hopkins accumulated 27 and Ellison finished on 13, before adjudged lbw from Tipton’s bowling.
The Women’s side lost three wickets to skillful Katie Chomse, who impressed at the bowler’s end. In response Fenby managed to chase down the difference in the last over to claim a five-wicket win.
In the second, the Senior Women batted first with a changed order. Opening the batting, Glen and Hollie Forsyth partnered for 34 before Chomse caught Forsyth out off her own ball.
Glen batted consistently to finish on 37 not out and with Fenby’s contribution of 25, Durham Women posted 108.
The Academy entered their chase with a hardly changed batting line-up. Tipton and Scott partnered to 29 before Ellison ran Tipton out.
Scott posted 20 before her run was ceased by Glen’s excellent catch but Ciara Boaden was still offering a lot of encouragement at the crease to finish on 30 not out.
Falling short of eight, the Academy lost a well-controlled game by the Senior Women.