Sportsmans upset Wanderers as Rams narrowly avoid history after batting horror show

On Sunday, Sportsmans reminded Young Motors Women’s Cricket League followers the 2022-23 season is not a one-horse race.
At a blustery and cold GBSC sports park they played some hot cricket on a cold day to beat competition favourites Wanderers by five wickets.
Wanderers were given first use by Sporties’ Jo Walker and limped their way to 9-71, which was effectively all out as they were two players short with Meg Spalding and Sam Biddiscombe unavailable.
The destroyer was Hayley Criddle (5-18), the fourth-best figures ever recorded in the league.
She removed both openers in the space of three balls before bowling Layne Gillingham to leave Wanderers reeling at 3-20 after five overs.
Oliva Bidwell had offered some resistance top scoring with 23 but after she was bowled by Isabelle Macpherson, Lucinda Gallop (15) was the only other batter to reach double figures, being the last to fall stumped off Criddle.
Walker (2-8) and MacPherson (2-6) put in good work in a fantastic all round bowling display.
Sportsmans got off to a rocky start losing Amanda Gundry and Walker inside the first two overs but Sarah Prickett (40 not out), yet again loving a challenge, guided her team to a worthy victory.
She added 37 with Belinda Burrows and 33 with Tia Hatch who simply held up her end with no scoreboard pressure.
Kasey Maynard (2-15) had the best figures for Wanderers as they lost their first game this season.
At GBSC4, Towns trounced Chapman valley Northampton by 109 runs with a superior batting and bowling display that left Rams struggling to avoid history.
Towns batted first and made 1-138 with openers Janelle Phillips (53) and Ruth Vorster (59 not out) putting on 91 before Tarni Screaigh finally broke through in the 11th over.
Vorster then added 47 with Selina Kiddle to post a total that looked too much for Rams even on a good day.
They proceeded to have one of the worse days on a record, losing four wickets in the first four overs - all ducks - as they collapsed to 4-6.
No batter reached double figures as Kate Clarkson resisted longest to top-score with nine but Corinne Lynch (2-3) and Carmen Dawson (3-11) were unstoppable.
At 7-17, the Rams were looking at posting the lowest-ever total before eking their way to 29 all out. The scorecard included six ducks and three scores of one, though Maggie Mills was at least not out making one off 25 deliveries.
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