Southern double for LCB
LCB Women made a successful start to their NatWest Women’s County T20 Division 1 campaign after their trip down to North Maidenhead CC was rewarded with back to back wins over last year’s champions Kent and hosts Berkshire.
The first game against Kent saw Lancashire win the toss and elect to bat first in the sweltering heat. Openers Emma Lamb and Evelyn Jones got off to a great start scoring 81 for the first wicket before Jones fell for an excellent 40.
Lamb followed soon after for 33 but Kate Cross hit a rapid 30, and with Natalie Brown scoring 14, the Red Rose girls closed their innings on an impressive 143-4.
What looked a stiff task for Kent was soon made more difficult as wickets began to tumble against Lancashire’s tight bowling and fielding.
Lamb was again instrumental with the ball, taking 4/15 in her four overs with Sophie Ecclestone taking 3/6 in her spell.
Cross also bowled a miserly spell conceding just eight runs from her four overs and Kent subsided to 71 all out.
The second game started almost immediately and again Lancashire batted first.
Another solid start of 34 from openers Lamb and Jones was followed by three quick wickets before Brown and Jessica Couser launched a recovery.
Brown made a very useful 26 whilst Couser was to end unbeaten on 21.
With a late flurry of boundaries from Rachel Dickinson the innings closed on a healthy 130-9.
The Berkshire reply was soon in trouble at 10-2 and struggled to get on top of some steady Lancashire bowling as wickets continued to fall steadily.
Cross and Lamb each picked up two cheap wickets as Berkshire were eventually all out for 102 to leave Lancashire winners by 28 runs.