Sussex Women crowned T20 champions

Sussex Women defeat Surrey and Kent to be crowned Vitality Women’s County T20 champions at Totton and Eling Cricket Club. 

Having topped the Group stages with five out of six wins, Sussex took on fourth placed Surrey in the first semi-final of the day. The batters adapted superbly to a tricky wicket to post 170, which included a partnership of 60 between Georgia Adams (57 runs off 36 balls) and Paige Scholfield (30 runs off 27 balls) before Freya Kemp finished the Sussex innings off in style with a superb 53 not out off 27 balls. 

Sussex bowled well from the outset with Chiara Green taking two important wickets in the second over, removing opener Amy Gordon followed quickly with the scalp of Alice Capsey. Capsey struck two 4s before holing out to Nancy Harman in the deep on the last ball of the over. Sussex applied continual pressure throughout Surrey’s run chase, picking up wickets at regular intervals. The pick of the bowlers were Freya Kemp (2-11 off 3) and Georgia Elwiss (2-12 off 3) as Sussex bowled out Surrey for just 100. The victory sent Sussex to the Final where they faced Kent who beat Hampshire in the other semi-final.  

Kent won the toss and elected to bat first in the final. Kent started strongly putting on 48 for the opening wicket, a partnership between Grace Scrivens and Jemima Spence. Sussex got the breakthrough as Spence was dismissed by Harman before Scrivens was brilliantly caught and bowled by Scholfield for 59, which in turn helped stem the flow of runs. Elwiss (2-22 off 4) continued to apply the pressure alongside Harman (3-22 off 4) helping restrict Kent to 130 from their 20 overs. 

Sussex needed 131 from their 20 overs to be crowned 2022 T20 Vitality Blast champions. Openers, Adams and Ella McCaughan, went hard in the powerplay scoring 47 from the first five overs before McCaughan was dismissed. Adams then followed after scoring 39 off just 17 balls, including seven 4s and a six. This set a great platform early in the chase, but despite losing Elwiss and Scholfield in quick succession, Harman played an outstanding innings of 41 not out to guide the team to victory. 17-year-old Mary Taylor, hit the winning runs with four balls remaining. A fantastic achievement for a squad who had faced personnel changes in every match across the competition, with 18 players taking the field across the eight matches. 

Competition Highlights 

Batting performances: 

Ella McCaughan: 8 innings, 189 runs, top score 52* 

Paige Scholfield: 8 innings, 182 runs, top score 47 

Georgia Adams: 6 innings, 162 runs, top score 57 

Freya Kemp: 5 innings, 131 runs, top score 53* 

Bowling performances:  

Paige Scholfield: 12 wickets, best figures 3-14 

Tara Norris: 8 wickets, best figures 4-11 

Career best bowling figures: 

Georgia Adams: 4-16 

Ella McCaughan: 3-6 

Photo 

Front Row (left to right): Nancy Harman, Chiara Green, Beth Harvey, Georgia Adams (Captain), Mary Taylor, Daisy Gibb, Millie Taylor 

Back Row (left to right): Alexia Walker (Head Coach), Jordan Shaw (Assistant Coach), Izzy Collis, Paige Scholfield, Freya Kemp, Georgia Elwiss, Cassidy McCarthy, Ella McCaughan, Rachel King, Carla Rudd, James Lamerton (S&C Coach) 

Missing players: Tara Norris, Izzy Atherton, Maisie Taylor, Danni Wyatt and Freya Davies