England XI Book Place In European Final

England XI booked their place in the European T10 Women’s Championship final at the Cartama Oval near Malaga.

A bonus point 55 runs victory over Italy in their opening match of the final day of group games gave England a seven points lead at the top of the Premier Division table.

Ireland then did England XI a favour by beating Netherlands – the only side who could have overtaken England - by seven wickets which meant that the defending champions could not be overtaken for top spot and which guaranteed them qualification for Friday’s final (2.35pm).

England XI were well placed to force victory in their final group match as they piled up 138 for five against Netherlands but heavy rain arrived during the interval and forced an abandonment.

Each side took two points which saw England finish six points clear at the top of the table and Netherlands pip Scotland for second place on net run rate. Scotland will now face Ireland in an eliminator in the opening match of Friday’s Finals Day with the winners playing Netherlands in a qualifier to determine who will face England XI in the final.

Against Italy, England were in early trouble after Chiara Green had won the toss and opted to bat as they lost Tilly Kesteven, Emilia Lamb, Rachel King and Amy Gordon cheaply and they found themselves 17 for four after two overs.

But Beth Gammon and Maddie Ward then combined in a match-turning second wicket partnership of 99 which took England to 116 for four.

Gammon struck seven fours and a six in her unbeaten 54 from 29 balls with Ward twice clearing the ropes and stroking five fours in her 20-ball 46 not out.

England XI then expertly squeezed Italy’s reply, restricting them to 61 for six with seamer Caitlin Belcher taking three for eight in her two overs, both bowled in the power play.

Belcher also held a catch at backward point to account for Methnara Rathnayake off Green’s off-spin to help reduce Italy to nine for four.

Italy laboured to 34 for six before Chathurika Mahamalage fired off a few defiant shots in the last three overs which came too late to save them from defeat and relegation to the Challenger competition.

England XI made a much better start after they were put in by Netherlands with Gammon making 25 from 15 balls with two sixes before she was bowled around her legs giving herself room against the leg-spin of Annemijn van Beuge.

Kesteven, who helped Gammon add 41 for the first wicket, fell in identical fashion to seamer Isabel van der Woning but Gordon and Jasmine Westley took advantage of some nervous bowling by the young Netherlands spinners, Merel Deekeling and Silver Siegers.

Deekeling was ordered out of the attack for bowling three above waist-high full tosses in an over in which she conceded 31 and saw the England XI pass 100.

Gordon then lifted Sigers for three consecutive sixes before seamer Robin Schmidt had Westley (37 from 19 balls) and Ward taken in the deep and Gordon was run out for 45 from just 12 balls – half of which she hit for six – in what proved to be the final over of the match.

European T10 Women’s Championship

Cartama Oval, Malaga

First match: England XI 116-4 (Beth Gammon 50 not out, Maddie Ward 46 not out, Pasindi Kanankege 2-22) Italy  61-6 (Caitlin Belcher 3-8). England XI won by 55 runs.

Second match: England XI 138-5 (Amy Gordon 45, Jasmine Westley 37, Beth Gammon 25, Robin Scmidt 2-9) v Netherlands. No result.

England XI | Chiara Green (Sussex), Beth Gammon (Glamorgan), Libby Thomas (Glamorgan), Maddie Ward (Yorkshire), Ria Fackrell (Yorkshire), Amy Wheeler (The Blaze), Caitlin Belcher (Gloucestershire), Rhiannon Knowling-Davies (Derbyshire), Emilia Lamb (Lancashire), Tilly Kesteven (Lancashire), Rachel King (Sussex), Jasmine Westley (unattached), Amy Gordon (Kent).