Stingers Soft Ball v Emmbrook & Bearwood Womens Softball

Rita Green Stars as Stingers Soft Ball Secure Cup Victory at Emmbrook

The Sonning Stingers Soft Ball travelled to Emmbrook and Bearwood CC on Thursday evening and delivered a composed all-round display to claim a five-run victory in the WSB Cup, posting 76 for 3 before restricting their hosts to 71 for 4 from their 16 overs.

After Emmbrook captain Lucy Prismall won the toss and inserted the visitors, the Stingers' top order found run-scoring difficult against a disciplined home attack. Openers Elinor Longridge (6 off 11 balls) and captain Katie Barrows (5 off 13) made steady starts without truly getting away, while Hannah Brooks and Dani Sweeney could manage only a single apiece as the scoring rate stalled in the middle overs. Prisha Pandit was particularly effective with ball in hand, conceding just nine runs from her three overs and picking up a wicket.

Sarah Wonham provided the first real impetus of the innings, striking 9 from 16 deliveries including a boundary, and Liz Rhodes contributed a useful 5 off 8 balls to keep the scoreboard ticking. However, it was Rita Green who transformed the Stingers' total with a superb late cameo. Batting at number seven, Green blazed 20 from just 15 balls, clearing the rope for a maximum and finding the boundary once more in an innings that turned a modest score into a competitive one. Nic Blunden added a handy 8 off 9 to close the innings, as the Stingers reached 76 for 3, boosted by 27 extras including 18 no-balls from the Emmbrook bowlers.

The hosts began their reply with purpose. Lucy Prismall struck 9 from 10 balls at the top of the order, but the Stingers' bowlers soon applied pressure. Laura May was dismissed for just 2 off 14 balls, and the middle order struggled to build momentum, with Prisha Pandit managing only 1 from 17 deliveries before falling as one of Rita Green's two victims with the ball.

Green was again at the heart of the action in the field, returning outstanding figures of 2 for 10 from her three overs. Nic Blunden complemented her superbly, bowling a tidy three-over spell of 1 for 9 that squeezed the scoring in the middle overs. Elinor Longridge was equally impressive, claiming 1 for 9 from three overs and becoming the only bowler on either side to record a maiden.

Emmbrook's lower order rallied through Deepa Ravi, whose 13 off 12 balls — including two fours — injected urgency into the chase, while Darshna Modha (8) and Nicci De Bromhead (8) contributed useful runs. De Bromhead was dismissed twice in the innings, however, and the regular loss of wickets — four in total — proved costly as the required rate climbed beyond reach. Emmbrook finished on 71 for 4, falling five runs short of the target despite accumulating 24 extras of their own.

It was a clinical team performance from the Stingers, with Green's match-defining double of 20 runs and 2 wickets earning her the standout contribution of the evening. Captain Katie Barrows will be delighted with how her bowling unit shared the workload, as all six bowlers used kept the home side under constant pressure throughout the chase.