Mixed fortunes for England XI In Spain

England XI had mixed fortunes on the third day of the European T10 Women’s Championship Premier Division at the Cartama Oval near Malaga.

Having surrendered their unbeaten record with a surprise seven wickets defeat against Scotland in their opening match, England XI bounced back to beat Italy by ten wickets in their second game of the day.

The Scotland defeat was only England XI’s second in the competition, with Italy inflicting their first in last season’s tournament, and it came after England XI had posted an imposing 126 for four against a side who began the day bottom of the table.

But England quickly regrouped and banked their first bonus point victory by restricting Italy to 64 for six then cantering to their modest target with more than half of their overs unused.

Tight bowling and excellent fielding denied Italy any opportunity to accelerate as they slumped to 31 for five in the fifth over.

Five of the six bowlers used each took a wicket with off-spinner Amy Gordon, the most successful with two for four in her two overs.

Only a late flurry from Kumudu Peddrick (18 not out) got Italy past 50 but their total was easily chased down in 28 balls by England XI openers Tilly Kesteven (35 not out) and Emilia Lamb (27 mot out).

Against Scotland, England XI made the highest total so far in this year’s tournament but the record lasted barely an hour.

Scotland chased it down with three balls to spare thanks to an unbeaten 46 in 14 balls from captain Katherine Fraser after Abbi Aitken-Drummond had launched the chase with a breezy 36.

Aitken-Drummond was stumped by Libby Thomas, who took over behind the stumps, but Ellen Watson sustained the attack with 38 in a second wicket partnership of 49 with Fraser.

Watson was brilliantly taken one-handed by Tilly Kesteven diving to her right at mid-off off Amy Gordon’s bowling but by that stage Scotland were already within sight of victory after Emilia Lamb had conceded 30 – including four sixes – in her only over. Against Ireland on Monday, Lamb had taken three for five in her only over.

Lamb and Rhiannon Knowling-Davies, who went for 20 in her only over, both had trouble with their footholds on the artificial pitch in early morning dampness, as did Scotland’s seamers when Gordon plundered 76 from 31 balls in a dominant England XI batting display.

Gordon thumped eight sixes and five fours before she was stumped off the penultimate ball of the innings but the key over proved to be the ninth from which seamer Maisie Maceira conceded just two runs.

Gordon shared an opening stand of 33 in three overs with Lamb (24 from 11 balls) and then dominated a third wicket partnership of 89 with Westley (10 not out) who was happy to play a supporting role.

 European T10 Women’s Championship

Cartama Oval, Malaga

Match One: England XI 126-4 (Amy Gordon 76, Emilia Lamb 24, Katherine Fraser 2-30), Scotland 127-3 (Katherine Fraser 46 not out, Ellen Watson 38, Abbi Aitken-Drummond 26). Scotland won by seven wickets.

Match Two: Italy 64-6 (Amy Gordon 2-4), England XI 65-0 (Tilly Kesteven 35 not out, Emilia Lamb 27 not out). England XI won by ten wickets.

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).

📸 Diana Oros / European Cricket Network