NCCA Women Crowned European Champions

NCCA Women became the first winners of the European Women’s T10 Championship with a 17 runs victory over Netherlands in the final at the Cartama Oval near Malaga. 

The win meant that the side, playing as England XI, emulated National Counties men’s team who won their own European title at the same ground in October. 

Although the England side only came together last Saturday they gelled quickly as a team and were worthy winners having lost only once – in a group match against Italy – in a busy schedule of nine matches in six days. 

The success in the final was also England’s third against Netherlands following a double in the group stage and was based around another outstanding team performance with bat, ball and in the field. England secured qualification for the final by topping the five-team group while Netherlands had to beat Italy by 26 runs in a qualifier to progress. 

After captain Chiara Green won the toss and opted to bat first, England lost two wickets in the second over with Bethan Ellis falling LBW to the leg-spin of Caroline de Lange and Cassidy McCarthy being run out going for a second run. 

Meg Austin (Staffordshire and Central Sparks) and Shachi Pai (Lancashire Thunder) stabilised the innings and were starting to accelerate when Pai lifted Hannah Landheer to long-on. 

But Ria Fackrell (Warwickshire and Central Sparks) then joined Austin in a rapid fourth wicket stand of 37 with Austin striking four fours and a six before she reverse paddled Iris Zwelling to short third. 

Fackrell followed in the same over when she holed out to long-on but Bethan Gammon (Wales) and Millie Taylor (Southern Vipers Academy) plundered 24 from Robin Rijke’s final over with Gammon finishing on 26 not out from seven balls, including three sixes. 

The value of that onslaught increased when Rijke anchored Netherlands’ chase with 69 from 33 balls but accurate bowling and sharp fielding – a feature of England’s game throughout the week – squeezed the innings. 

Zwilling, who made two centuries in the group stage, fell to a leading edge off Staffordshire seamer Amy Wheeler who then combined with Green to run out Sanya Khurana. 

While Rijke was at the crease, Netherlands were still in with a chance but she lost strike for the penultimate over and could only watch as pace bowler Daisy Gibb (Sussex and Southern Vipers Academy) bowled a nerveless double wicket maiden. 

Both wickets came courtesy of brilliant stumpings from Maddie Ward (Nottinghamshire) to dismiss Merel Dekeling and Landheer. 

Rijke regained the strike for the final over and thumped McCarthy for two sixes and a four which served only to narrow England’s margin of victory. 

Cartama Oval, Malaga 

England XI 122-5 (Meg Austin 42, Bethan Gammon 26 not out), Netherlands 105-4 (Robine Rijke 69 not out, Daisy Gibb 2-10). England XI won by 17 runs.