Mixed Fortunes For NCCA England Women XI In Spain

NCCA Women had mixed fortunes on the fourth day of the European T10 Championship at the Cartama Oval near Malaga.

Having trounced Austria by 104 runs in their opening match of the day the NCCA side, competing in the tournament as England XI, then suffered a surprise six runs defeat against Italy. 

The defeat allowed Netherland to regain top spot in the qualifying table ahead of Thursday’s final group matches and in pole position to secure a place in Friday’s final. 

England XI now need to avoid another upset against Spain in their first match on Thursday (8.45am) and then defeat Netherlands in their second game (12.45pm) if they are to secure top spot and avoid playing in an additional qualifier on Friday to determine the other finalists. The match against England XI is Netherlands’ only fixture on Thursday. 

Against Austria, England XI piled up their highest total of the competition – 132 without loss – with openers Ria Fackrell (Warwickshire and Central Sparks) and Mille Taylor (Southern Vipers Academy) untroubled. 

Fackrell finished unbeaten on 65 from 33 balls with eight fours and three sixes with Taylor’s 50 not out from 32 balls containing six fours and a six. 

Austria then laboured against tight bowling and fielding and were dismissed for 28 with just three balls of their ten-over allocation unused. 

Lancashire Thunder’s Shachi Pai was the pick of the England XI attack with three for eight with Nottinghamshire’s Maddie Ward taking two for three in nine balls to seal a fifth straight bonus point win. 

Having dismissed Italy for 26 when the sides met on Monday, England XI could have been forgiven for expecting to make it six straight wins. 

But Italy openers Methnara Rathnayake (61) and Dilaisha Nanayakkara (28) put on 97 before they were parted. 

England captain Chiara Green took two of the three wickets that fell but England still had to make their second highest total in the competition to avoid a first defeat. 

The loss of Bethan Ellis and Pai in successive balls in the sixth over unsettled England before Meg Austin (Staffordshire and Central Sparks) and Cassidy McCarthy (Sussex and Trent Rockets) got the chase back on track with a fifth wicket partnership of 57 in 20 balls. 

But McCarthy and Bethan Gammon (Wales) also departed in successive balls and Austin, who was left unbeaten on 37 from 19 balls, was unable to conjure the 18 runs that were needed for victory from the final over. 

European Women’s T10 Championship – Day Four 

Cartama Oval, Malaga 

Match One: England XI 132-0 (Ria Fackrell 65 not out, Millie Taylor 50 not out), Austria 28 (Shachi Pai 3-8). England XI won by 104 runs. 

Match Two: Italy 107-3 (Methnara Rathnayake 61, Chiara Green 2-18), England XI 101-7 (Meg Austin 37 not out). Italy won by six runs.