Stingers Soft Ball v Purley on Thames Womens Softball

Stingers Smash Their Way to Comprehensive Cup Victory on Run Rate

Sonning Stingers Soft Ball produced a dominant batting display to overcome Purley on Thames in the WSB Cup at King George's Field on Tuesday evening, winning convincingly on run rate after posting 129 for 2 in reply to the visitors' 64 for 6.

Captain Siobhan Davis won the toss and chose to field first, a decision that proved astute as the Stingers' bowling unit restricted Purley to a modest total across their 16 overs. The visitors struggled to find any rhythm with the bat, with captain Sarah Fryer top-scoring with 8 from 12 balls. Katie Cook managed 6 off 25 deliveries at the top of the order, while Stacey Hawley and Molly O'Grady each contributed 5 runs. Over half of Purley's total came from extras, with 36 added to their score — 26 of those in wides.

The Stingers shared the bowling duties across all eight players, with every member of the squad getting a turn. Rita Green was the most economical, returning outstanding figures of 1 for 2 from her single over. Chloe Bailey also claimed a wicket, finishing with 1 for 5 from her two overs. Davis herself was impressively tight, conceding just 3 runs from two overs without a single wide or no ball. Elinor Longridge bowled three tidy overs for just 8 runs.

The Stingers' reply was emphatic. Rita Green was the star of the innings, striking a superb 27 from just 15 balls, an innings laced with five fours that tore the Purley attack apart. Green's aggressive batting transformed the contest, ensuring the run rate climbed well beyond what was required.

Davis led from the front with the bat as well, contributing a fluent 15 off 12 balls with two fours, while Sophie Parker matched that score with 15 from 15 deliveries, also finding the boundary twice. Rebecca Malhi chipped in with 11 off 13 balls, striking two fours of her own. Melissa Pengraeve added a useful 7 from 9 balls including a four, ensuring the scoring rate never dropped.

Purley's bowlers found it difficult to contain the Stingers, with Molly O'Grady and Stacey Hawley both conceding 25 runs from their respective spells. Sarah Fryer went for 20 from two overs. Fiona Salvage and Katie Cook were the only bowlers to claim wickets, taking one apiece, but both were expensive. The visitors conceded 43 extras in total, including 24 no balls, which further swelled the Sonning total.

The Stingers' total of 129 for 2 was exactly double Purley's 64 for 6, a margin that made the outcome on run rate a formality. It was a clinical all-round performance from Sonning, with Green's explosive batting and the disciplined bowling of Davis, Green, and Bailey the standout contributions on a productive evening in the cup.