There was an expectation that the return to county cricket in women’s cricket would see an upturn not just in the quality of the product, but also in the size of the crowds and the atmosphere at games. So, with the Tier Two Finals Day yesterday, the Vitality Blast Finals Day at the Kia Oval would have to make up for it.
The crowd was much bigger than any of the Finals Days in the Charlotte Edwards Cup era, and a decent turnout witnessed the home side ease to victory against a spirited Bears team that beat their Midlands rivals, The Blaze, in the eliminator by 20 runs after Issy Wong smashed 59 and took four for 14.
The quick turnaround gave the Bears’ batters little time to refocus. Meg Austin, who hit the first ball for four, was walking back the next ball as Alexa Stonehouse rearranged her stumps. When Davina Perrin was bowled by Alice Capsey for a third-ball duck, it ended a horrid day for the exciting young opener, who had scored just one in the previous game.
It took another innings from Wong to get the Bears going. She was one of the few players who got a read on the pitch all day, hitting four fours in a 19-ball 31 before becoming the third batter of the innings to be bowled. Stonehouse picked up her second wicket, and the West Midlands side were 43 for three in the powerplay.
While Surrey kept taking wickets, it started to feel like the Bears were dragging themselves back into the contest. That was partly down to Laura Harris, who counter-attacked with an 11-ball 25. Nat Wraith, the wicketkeeper, chipped in with 23 runs from 19 balls to help keep the innings together.
For Surrey, it was one of their unsung players—the all-rounder Phoebe Franklin—who quietly kept things tight while the superstars around her took the plaudits. She finished with two for 16 from her four overs, the most economical figures of the day.
Millie Taylor made 20, and Hannah Baker, batting at eleven, finished with the same number of runs as the Bears ended their 20 overs on 153 for nine. It was probably a below-par total, but with Wong in the zone, it looked like it could still be a tricky target for Surrey.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge was bowled for five, with Hannah Baker taking a superb catch at deep midwicket to give Em Arlott the first wicket of the innings. Bryony Smith, the Surrey captain, took up the mantle and ensured the innings started with some momentum, before she was dismissed within three balls either side of the end of the powerplay.
Grace Harris proved to be the match-winner she was brought in to be. Her 64 not out came from just 33 balls and included seven fours and two sixes. She batted sensibly but with the ability to find the boundary, racing to her half-century from just 25 balls and continuing to accelerate as the winning line came into view.
While Harris and Sophia Dunkley only added 37 for the fourth wicket, it came from 21 balls and put Surrey in the box seat. Although Dunkley was stumped for 23 from 13 balls, and Paige Scholfield came and went for a run-a-ball seven, Surrey never looked like losing—winning by five wickets with twenty balls to spare.
It finished a clean sweep for the London teams after Middlesex won the Tier Two version yesterday.
The season carries on with a round of the Metro Bank One Day Cup this week, and The Hundred follows shortly after.
