Davinia Perrin 79* steers Central Sparks in comfortable chase
Sunrisers struggle to post testing target despite Alice Macleod fifty
ECB Reporters Network
19-May-2024
Davina Perrin played the match-winning knock for Central Sparks • Getty Images
Central Sparks 142 for 3 (Perrin 79*) beat Sunrisers 138 for 6 (Macleod 54, Baker 2-21) by seven wickets
Central Sparks launched their Charlotte Edwards Cup campaign with an emphatic victory as they defeated Sunrisers by seven wickets at New Road, Worcester.
In a season-opener between the teams that finished in the bottom two slots last season, Sparks started in style this time round thanks principally to a dazzling unbeaten 79 from just 48 balls by Davina Perrin.
Sunrisers batted first and were lifted to 138 for 6 by Alice MacLeod's 39-ball 54 against an attack led by Hannah Baker and Emily Arlott.
It looked a slightly under par total and so it proved as Perrin, who hit two sixes and 13 fours, and Australian overseas player Courtney Webb made short work of the chase with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 83 in 47 balls. Mady Villiers took 2 for 36 but Sparks cruised to 142 for three with 36 balls remaining.
Put in on a glorious day at New Road, Sunrisers were given a bright start by Joanne Gardner who dominated an opening stand of 40 in 35 balls with Grace Scrivens but then both fell in three balls. Scrivens hesitated over a very tight single and was beaten by Perrin's throw and Gardner was bamboozled by the flight of Baker's first delivery and bowled. When Arlott bowled Villiers through a slog and Baker also bowled Cordelia Griffith, Sunrisers had slumped from 40 without loss to 50 for 4 in 19 balls.
MacLeod and Jodi Grewcock batted with composure to add 50 in six overs and the former ensured her side had something to bowl at before missing an attempted sweep at Arlott and falling lbw to the penultimate ball of the innings.
Sunrisers, who lost all seven games in the Charlotte Edwards Cup last year, needed to strike early with the ball and they did. They removed both openers in the first 13 balls as Ami Campbell hammered Eva Gray to point and Abi Freeborn was lbw through a failed sweep at Villiers.
When Sparks skipper Eve Jones chipped Villiers to mid-off, it was 59 for 3 and the visitors still had a chink of hope but Perrin's cleanly-hit onslaught, with measured and positive support from Webb, soon extinguished it and Sparks eased to victory.
