Diamonds fold after controversial Winfield run out
Tuesday 9 August 2016 15:53, UK
New Zealand's Sophie Devine struck 52 off 38 balls to power Loughborough Lightning to a 43-run win over Yorkshire Diamonds in the first Kia Super League match.
Devine reached her fifty off 35 balls, clobbering five fours and two sixes in the process, after putting on 55 with Australia's Ellyse Perry (17) as Lightning posted 128-9 off their 20 overs.
Georgie Elwiss (10) struck the opening ball of the competition, bowled by Shabnim Ismail, for four while the first wicket was snared by Katherine Brunt, who had Dane van Niekerk caught at slip for a single.
Devine and Perry took Lightning to 65-2 at the halfway stage before the latter was run out by Mooney - the first of five wickets to fall for 12 runs.
The pick was a wonderful caught and bowled to remove Sonia Odedra from Jenny Gunn (2-20), who then kept her composure well to catch Devine in the deep.
Yorkshire Diamonds struggled in reply as only three players made double figures in a total of 85 all out in 17.1 overs.
Skipper Lauren Winfield (23 off 15 balls) blitzed five fours to give her side the perfect launchpad but when she was run out by Beth Langston, Diamonds crashed from 37-1 to 37-4.
The captain's dismissal was not without some controversy - Winfield feeling she might have been obstructed by Perry, but the umpires decided there was no case to answer.
For all their intent, Brunt (16) and Hazell (15) could not kick on as Grundy grabbed 3-21 - Devine (2-27) having the final say by dismissing Hazell.
Reflecting on the win, Devine, said: "I was really nervous after a winter in New Zealand and a bit scratchy at the start but it was nice to be able to get some runs on the board.
"I thought we may have been 15-20 runs short of the score we needed and Yorkshire came out really hard at us and the run out probably helped us. It was a great team win and our bowling performance was very good. Our fielders did well on the big outfield and we took a couple of great catches."
Winfield added: "It was very disappointing to lose because I thought we did a lot right and we were in a good place at half time. I was not too unhappy with their total and we got a decent start but fell away in the middle. It is important that we learn from today's performance. We probably hit the self destruct button after losing a few early wickets.
"I felt I may have been obstructed by the bowler when going for a second run and I had a word with the umpires but it was just one of those things. Perhaps if there had been the chance to see it again I may not have been given out but it was a situation which couldn't be changed."
