Wellington Storms to 83 in crashing win over Sparks

Western Storm 284 (Wellington 83, Luff 60, George 5-50) beat Central Sparks 102 (Perrin 42, Skelton 3-8, Wong 3-20) by 182 runs

Western Storm climbed off the foot of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table with a 182-run smashing of Central Sparks which relegated their opponents to the bottom instead.

Sparks had chosen to bowl but waited 88 balls for a breakthrough as openers Emma Corney (39) and Sophia Smale (42) added 92. They struck a combined 11 fours and set down an ideal platform before falling in the space of four balls. Smale chipped Ria Fackrell to mid off before Corney was bowled, playing back to spinner Hannah Baker.

After Luff and Fran Wilson added another half-century stand – 53 in 11 overs – Sparks hit back with three wickets in seven overs. Wilson was bowled off her pads by Bethan Ellis, Natasha Wraith hoisted Ellis to deep mid-wicket and Niamh Holland had her off-stump knocked out by George.

At 164 for 5, the innings was in the balance but Wellington injected impetus alongside the steady Luff with a vibrant 41-ball half-century including a six, hoisted over midwicket off Fackrell, and eight fours.

Luff fell to a stunning, one-handed return catch by George but Wellington continued her assault until she was dismissed in bizarre fashion when she missed a reverse-sweep at Grace Potts and the ball lodged in the visor of wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn to be caught behind.

Sparks’ reply started terribly with wickets to the first two balls from Wong as Eve Jones was yorked and Freeborn edged a loose drive to wicketkeeper Wraith. At 0 for 2 from 0.2 overs, a case could have been made for a third slip and had there been one, Wong would have had a hat-trick. Instead, Perrin survived but though she batted well, the rest subsided ignominiously.

Chloe Brewer was lbw to Wong to one that kept low and Alex Griffiths added the wickets of Courtney Webb and Katie George, both caught at mid on. When Perrin departed aghast at an interesting lbw decision for Wellington, it was 85 for 6 and the lower order needed to deliver a miracle.

There was no miracle as Skelton came on to torpedo the tail with a burst of 3 for 6 in 26 balls as the Storm blew strong, rather belatedly in the competition, to leave Sparks bottom of the pile.