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Northern Diamonds 334 for six (Armitage 131, Winfield-Hill 74, Heath 70) beat Western Storm 230 (Gibson 76, Smale 59, Levick 4-41) by 104 runs
Diamonds gained the toss, elected to bat first and ran up a mammoth competition-best complete of 334 for six, eclipsing the earlier document rating of 224 for 7 achieved by South East Stars in opposition to Sunrisers at Chelmsford in Might 2021.
England worldwide Winfield-Hill contributed a fluent 74 from 77 balls, whereas Heath struck an attention grabbing 70 from simply 46 balls as Diamonds surpassed their earlier highest 50-over rating of 294, made in opposition to Thunder at Chester-le-Road in September final 12 months.
It was a chastening expertise for Storm’s bowlers, solely offspinner Chloe Skelton, who claimed 2 for 39 from 10 overs, rising with any actual credit score on a day when bat dominated ball.
There was no signal of the onslaught to come back when Smith clipped Claire Nicholas meekly to quick third man and departed for a duck within the second over. However Winfield-Hill and Armitage rapidly set about placing the document straight, their partnership yielding 50 from 48 balls as Diamonds posted 56 throughout the opening 10-over powerplay. Scoring freely both facet of the wicket, Winfield-Hill raised 50 from 56 balls, pulled Lauren Filer for 4 to deliver up the hundred partnership and appeared set to understand three figures when she inadvertently holed out to long-on off the bowling of Skelton within the twenty third over, having helped herself to 9 fours.
Hitherto solid within the function of chief assist, Armitage went to 50 through 69 balls, whereas Sterre Kalis and Leah Dobson got here and went in fast succession on the different finish as Storm labored arduous to limit the scoring and keep a foothold within the sport.
However that each one modified with the arrival of Heath with the rating at 169 for 4 within the thirty third over. Happening the assault from the outset, the 21-year-old from Chesterfield mixed finesse with uncooked energy to assist virtually double the rating throughout a blistering 14-over sojourn which left Storm on their knees. Heath and Armitage added 50 from 31 balls as the house facet got here underneath sustained strain, Skelton the one bowler to keep away from a mauling.
As soon as once more enjoying second fiddle to a faster-scoring accomplice, Armitage went to a maiden hundred for Diamonds from 110 balls, whereas the century partnership occupied 66 deliveries, Heath discovering the boundary with spectacular regularity as Diamonds surpassed their earlier highest rating within the 50-over competitors.
Driving and pulling with intent, Heath had a century firmly in her sights when she drilled the ball straight to Nicholas at quick fantastic leg in pursuit of a ninth boundary, allowing Lauren Filer a much-needed success. Thereafter, Armitage and Lizzie Scott mixed forces on the dying to usher Diamonds to a record-breaking complete.
Required to hit the bottom operating in the event that they had been to have any probability of discomfiting their opponents, Storm as an alternative misplaced Alice Griffiths and talismanic captain Sophie Luff inside 9 overs because the powerplay didn’t ignite. When Fran Wilson drove Smith to cowl within the twelfth over, the house facet had been 37 for 3 and in peril of operating up the white flag.
Levick then struck twice in as many overs along with her leg-breaks to take away Nat Wraith for 19 and Emma Corney for 29, the latter at the least making an honest fist of opening the batting for the primary time at Taunton. However there was no approach again from 80 for five and, an entertaining interlude during which Gibson and Smale added 106 for the sixth wicket aside, Yorkshire grit continued to carry sway.
Gibson matched hearth with hearth and supplied the house crowd with one thing to cheer in a knock that was illuminated by 9 fours and a six till, having garnered 76 from 59 balls, she hit Armitage to cowl. Smale’s courageous rearguard motion yielded a 59-ball 50, but it surely proved not more than a silver lining.
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