Armitage comes to Diamonds’ rescue at Headingley
A fabulous 103 from new England star Hollie Armitage led the Northern Diamonds to a come-from-behind 10-run victory over Western Storm in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Headingley.
Inserted, the Diamonds slipped to 89-5 in the 21st over before captain Armitage, pictured, led the fightback to 275-9 during her 114-ball innings with 13 fours.
All-rounder Abi Glen also crashed a late 53 not out off 46 - her maiden regional fifty - during the first half of an engaging contest and later claimed three wickets with her seamers.
Dani Gibson struck twice with the new ball and finished with 3-44 for Storm. But it was Armitage who won the battle of the England teammates, leading her side to a second successive victory after Saturday’s win over Thunder.
In reply, Storm were well placed at 127-2 in the 23rd over, only to fall to 265 all out in the last over when they needed 12 to win. Armitage will take the headlines, but Phoebe Turner also impressed with three wickets following 32 with the bat.
Storm made an eye-catching start, led by Gibson’s dismissals of openers Sterre Kalis and Lauren Winfield-Hill.
Spinners Sophia Smale and
Amanda-Jade Wellington claimed three wickets like Gibson, but it was Australian overseas leg-spinner Wellington who was the pick of the Storm attack with 3-30 from 10 overs bowled on the reel through the middle of the innings.
She had Bess Heath caught at point, fellow Aussie overseas Burns bowled trying to cut a ball too close to her and Leah Dobson caught brilliantly by a diving Niamh Holland coming in from deep mid-wicket.
That left the Diamonds five down and still short of 100. But Armitage was outstanding.
Last month, the 26-year-old made her senior England debut as a concussion substitute in a T20I against New Zealand in Nelson.
Armitage pulled with authority and drove with grace, supported well by Phoebe Turner’s 32 and Glen’s late fifty, before she was caught at longon off Smale.
Storm did, however, start their chase of 276 positively. Openers Smale and Alex Griffiths shared 59 inside 13 overs before the latter pulled Phoebe Turner out to deep midwicket to fall for 26.
Turner bowled Smale for 35 before the off-spin of Aussie Erin Burns accounted for Wilson and Gibson.
When leg-spinner Katie Levick had Luff caught at mid-off for 25, Storm were 160-5 in the 30th having lost three wickets for 33.
Natasha Wraith kept hopes alive with 27, only to be bowled by Phoebe Turner.
At 192 for six in the 38th, it felt like the decisive moment. So it proved.
Wellington hit an aggressive 28 and Niamh Holland a laboured 29, and both were bowled by Glen and Sophia Turner before the former bowled Mollie Robbins.
Glen had Filer stumped to seal the win.
■ Wicketkeeper Harry Duke has joined Essex on a two-week loan deal from Yorkshire ahead of the Vitality County Championship matches away to Durham and Somerset.