Originals get Dunked as England star keeps her head in run chase
Richard Sellers/PA Wire
Manchester Originals’ women were left to rue the fine margins as their Hundred campaign got off to a losing start against Welsh Fire at Emirates Old Trafford.
Sophia Dunkley’s unbeaten 69 was the winning hand in a low-scoring game, with the England star putting her foot down after a middle-overs wobble in pursuit of 114.
The first half of the game had followed a similar pattern – a bright start for overseas stars Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney, followed by the bowlers getting on top.
Jess Jonassen’s left-arm spin claimed 3/17 before Ecclestone’s late flurry, including successive sixes off Hayley Matthews, pushed the total into three figures.
Originals keeper Ellie Threlkeld, who began her career at Rainford, says the mood was fairly confident in the interval, adding: “It’s quite a big ground and a slow outfield.
“They got off to a good start but we knew we were just a couple of wickets away.
“We pulled it back pretty well, but credit to the way Sophia played and held their innings together.”
After 75 balls, Fire still needed 41 to win, following a mini-collapse of 8/3 in 20 balls.
But Dunkley kept her head, launching Kim Garth’s last ball over the straight boundary then sweeping Kathryn Bryce for four to bring up her 50.
Another six off Bryce, then two fours off Ecclestone, brought Fire to the brink before Jonassen carved Lauren Filer for four to seal the win with four balls to spare.
Ecclestone, once of Chester Boughton Hall, also paid tribute to Dunkley’s innings – but took some positives from her side’s performance.
She said: “It’s really nice having Laura and Beth at the top of the order – it’s quite nice for me not having to bowl at Beth as well.
“We all know what we need to do – we can definitely rotate the strike a bit more in the middle and another 15 runs in this game would have been crucial.
“I feel like we got stuck in the middle part, and needed a few more runs on the board.”
Trent Rockets are the next visitors for the Originals, on Monday, and Threlkeld has seen enough from the side to suggest they have what it takes to win games.
She added: “There’s a fine line in this game between trying to build pressure and defending the boundary, so it’s something we can learn.
“It’s our first run out in the field as a team, and the first game in the competition, and we’ve played some pretty good cricket.
“So now it’s about bouncing back and going again.
“Our bowling attack did well defending a low score, so that’s encouraging.
“It was nice to keep to some nasty fasties, with Filer and Garth – I think we’ve got one of the best bowling attacks in the competition.”
