NCCA England Women XI Continue Winning Ways In Spain

NCCA Women made it four straight bonus point wins with a comfortable 49 runs victory over hosts Spain on the third day of the European T10 Championship at the Cartama Oval near Malaga. 

A half century from Libby Thomas (Wales and Central Sparks) laid the foundations for a total of 99 for one and tight bowling then restricted Spain to 50 for three in reply. 

The win maintained NCCA Women’s – playing in the tournament as England XI – record as the only unbeaten side in the competition which has now reached the halfway point of the qualifying group. 

Double-headers now follow against Austria (8.45am) and Italy (2.45pm) on Wednesday followed by Spain (8.45am) and Netherlands (12.45pm) on Thursday to decide the line-up for Finals Day on Friday. 

The side who tops the qualifying group will secure a place in Friday’s final (2.45pm). 

England XI remain well-placed to emulate the National Counties XI men’s team who won their competition for the second time at the Cartama Oval in October having first won it in 2021. 

Against Spain, winless after five matches, England XI had to work hard for runs but they lost just one wicket when Meg Austin (Staffordshire and Central Sparks) was bowled in the first over by off-spinner Naomi Hillman Bermejo. 

Thomas and Maddie Ward (Nottinghamshire) added 97 in an unbroken second wicket partnership but were made to work hard for their runs by improved bowling and ground fielding by Spain. 

Thomas reached her half-century from 33 balls with five fours and two sixes and she added a further boundary before the innings closed. Ward struck two sixes in her unbeaten 30 from 24 balls. 

Hillman-Bermejo anchored Spain’s chase with 24 from 25 balls but she led a charmed life as she was dropped three times before being brilliantly run out by Beth Ellis (Warwickshire and Central Sparks). 

Ellis was the only bowler to take a wicket – Andrea Davidson-Soler caught at mid-on – but Spain struggled to find the boundary and limped to 24 without loss at the midway point of the innings and were unable to accelerate. 

European Women’s T10 Championship – Day Three 

Cartama Oval, Malaga 

England XI 99-1 (Libby Thomas 55 not out), Spain 50-3. England XI won by 49 runs