TEAM NEWS
Warwickshire Women: Amu Surenkumar, Meg Austin, Katie George, Brooke Halliday, Abbey Freeborn, Emily Arlott, Nat Wraith, Alexa Stonehouse, Millie Taylor, Hannah Baker, Phoebe Brett.
Essex Women: Grace Scrivens (C), Bryony Gillgrass, Lissy Macleod, Sophia Smale, Ella Claridge (WK), Jo Gardner, Liberty Heap, Amelie Bishop, Sophie Munro, Esmae MacGregor, Abtaha Maqsood.
MATCH DETAILS
Umpires: JC Tredwell & DJ Daniels
Scorers: C Credgington & AJ Ruffles
Match Referee: H Pack
Toss: Essex Women won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Warwickshire Women win by 7 wickets.
MATCH REACTION:
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
Warwickshire Women maintained their hopes of qualifying from the Metro Bank One Day Cup group stage with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Essex at Edgbaston.
Katie George (72, 99 balls) and Abigail Freeborn (64, 54 balls) hit unbeaten half-centuries when contributing to a 122-run partnership as the Bears comfortably chased down 203 having bowled Essex out cheaply, thanks largely to spinners Phoebe Brett (4/52) and Hannah Baker (3/26).
Having elected to bat, Essex found themselves one down in the very first over when captain Grace Scrivens played at a fuller delivery from Alexa Stonehouse and edged behind without scoring.
Top order pair Bryony Gillgrass and Lissy Macleod began to establish a platform for the innings; they put on 57 before Gillgrass to Brett, whose ball drifted in, moved away a touch and claimed the outside edge.
Macleod departed swiftly afterwards for a well made 34, trapped in front by Amu Surenkumar, to leave two new batters at the crease but again Essex recovered from a position of adversity.
Sophia Smale operated diligently for her 42 having bore witness at the non-striker’s end to a ripper from Brett, who pitched one on middle and dislodged Ella Claridge’s off bail.
Following the dismissal of Jo Gardner (20), who tamely pushed Em Arlott into the covers, Smale and Liberty Heap (52) put on 75 for the sixth wicket and prompted hopes of a big score with still a dozen overs remaining of their innings.
Heap, who had been given a reprieve on one when Millie Taylor put down an admittedly difficult chance off her own bowling, lifted the same bowler over long off for six and brought up her half century in 42 balls.
Essex, though, collapsed from 190/5 to 202 all out as Bears spinners Brett and Baker wreaked havoc through the visitors’ tail.
Baker had Heap stumped when looking to go big and she wrapped up a fruitful spell and the Essex innings - with 31 balls left unused - when trapping Esmae MacGregor LBW.
Warwickshire opener Meg Austin flashed the first ball of the chase away through square leg, which pointed towards the Bears’ intentions to chase with aggression.
Austin drove, clipped and then pulled Sophie Munro for three boundaries in a single over as Warwickshire’s innings got off to a flier, but they were reined in a little when Surenkumar (10) was adjudged to have been leg before off the bowling of MacGregor, who Austin also feathered behind for a dynamic 25.
Captain George and Brooke Halliday put on 45 for the third wicket and built on the swashbuckling start made by their opening colleagues, before the latter was caught in the deep attempting to sweep Abtaha Maqsood.
George and Freeborn batted with precision and authority, always fully in control of the chase and the pair steered their side home with minimal fuss and a handsome stand.
Needing a single to win, George sealed the points with a maximum over long on to seal victory.
