The Metro Bank Women’s One Day Cup Final at the Utilita Bowl closed the first
season of the new era of domestic women’s cricket and the first phase of Project
Darwin. A record crowd for a final, and two competitive teams thrashing out a close
final, will give many in the ECB a welcome pat on the back.
The semi-finals hinted at a final full of promise with Hampshire expected to host a
partisan crowd, the type that would have made Lancashire all the more determined.
It was an innings of classical shots and grit from Gaby Lewis who played a match-
winning 141 not out that helped Lancashire to a six-wicket victory with nine balls to
spare.
It proved to be the case as 2,536 fans congregated to see one of the tightest
women’s finals in recent years. It is also testament that since the advent of
professional women’s cricket, 289 is seen as a very chasable target. Gaby Lewis
and Seren Smale – who this time last year were playing international cricket against
each other – combined to put Lancashire within reach of the double after winning the
T20 County Cup earlier in the season.
With Hampshire still firm favourites, having topped the group stages on net run rate
over The Blaze, Lancashire won the toss and elected to bowl. With a pace trio of
Kate Cross, Mahika Gaur and Grace Potts it seemed the sensible decision, and
although starting in clear skies the threat of rain later was never out of the realms of
possibility.
While they didn’t make the breakthrough early, Hampshire never really pulled away
in the powerplay. The opening partnership of 70 between Maia Bouchier and
Rhianna Southby took 95 balls before a ball out of the back of her hand from Potts
fooled Southby into chipping a simple catch to Cross at mid-on.
It brought Georgia Adams to the middle, the sort of dependable batter for the
situation. She could carry on the role that Southby was doing and allow Bouchier to
be more aggressive.
Bouchier brought up her twentieth half-century before she tried one big shot too many,
and again Cross took the catch at mid-on to give Gaur her only wicket of the day.
Adams kept things steady with 77 from 98, top scoring, and with Freya Kemp scoring
a run a ball 41 and Abi Norgrove 36 from 31, Hampshire should have set Lancashire
over 300 to win.
In the semi-final on Tuesday, Lancashire needed a big partnership from Ellie
Threlkeld and Ailsa Lister. Today, it was their top order that contributed, albeit with a
couple of run-outs that the umpires didn’t spot.
Lewis and Smale added 144 for the second wicket. Smale’s 72 from 85 was the sort
of mature innings that she needs to continue to build on.
It was the Irish international that played the innings of the day, in full control of the
scoring shots she played, unconcerned when the dot balls built up, secure that her
ability to find the boundary would catch up.
It is always a risky strategy, as The Blaze found out to Lancashire’s benefit in the
semi-final.
When Lewis brought up her hundred from 121 balls, there were still 72 runs to win
with 56 balls remaining.
What helped Lewis was that Threlkeld started to score at more than a run a ball from
the start. It took the pressure off Lewis to an extent. Lancashire still needed some big
overs.
Threlkeld’s 32 from 30 was just the injection that Lancashire needed, and when she
was dismissed, caught Kemp, bowled Freya Davies in her final game,
it brought the free-scoring Lister to the middle.
Lewis, with three overs to go, decided it was time to go and rode her luck as
Bouchier dropped her on the boundary to make a Lancashire victory the most likely
result.
With just five needed to win from the final two overs, the only thing in doubt was
when Lancashire would get over the line, and they did so with a quick single that
caused a moment of confusion before Lancashire players streamed onto the field to
celebrate with their hero Lewis.
