Womens 1st XI v Cookham Dean Womens 1st XI

Rita Green Stars as Sonning Women Cruise to Comfortable Victory

Sonning Women's 1st XI secured a convincing win over Cookham Dean in their Super 8 Development Group 1 fixture on 19th May, chasing down a target of 79 without losing a single wicket to claim maximum points at home.

Cookham Dean won the toss and elected to bat first, and their innings was built around two rapid contributions. Jesal Kulhar was the most aggressive of the visitors' batters, striking 18 from just 10 balls with three boundaries, while Josie Fray got the innings off to a positive start with 14 from 11 deliveries, including two fours. Captain Charlotte Davis chipped in with 8, but the remainder of the order struggled to build momentum against a disciplined Sonning attack.

Michaela Herrett set the tone with the ball for Sonning, bowling an economical three-over spell that included a maiden and conceded just nine runs. Rebecca Malhi was equally parsimonious, returning figures of 2-0-6-0. Rita Green was the only Sonning bowler to claim a wicket, finishing with 1-18 from her 4.1 overs. Extras proved costly for Cookham Dean's cause, with 25 sundries — including 17 wides and 8 no-balls — inflating the total to 78-1 from their 16 overs.

Sonning's reply was emphatic, driven by a blistering opening salvo from Rita Green. Having already made her mark with the ball, Green dominated the batting, smashing 29 from just 17 balls in a display of clean hitting that included four boundaries and a six. Her explosive innings immediately put Sonning in command and ensured the required rate was never a concern.

With the target rapidly diminishing, contributions came from throughout the order. Chloe Bailey played a fine hand lower down, dispatching three fours in her unbeaten 15 from 12 balls, while Siobhan Davis added a composed 12 from 14 deliveries. Captain Sharon Fleming weighed in with 7, and Michaela Herrett continued her fine all-round afternoon with a handy 5 that included a boundary.

Cookham Dean's bowlers toiled without reward on a difficult afternoon. Jesal Kulhar was the pick of the visitors' attack, bowling four overs with a maiden and conceding only 14 runs, but she could not find a breakthrough. Meribelle Hayward bowled the most overs with figures of 4-0-21-0, while Charlotte Davis proved expensive, conceding 17 from her two overs.

Sonning completed the chase with ease, reaching 91-0 from their 16 overs to win by 13 runs on first-innings scores. It was a thoroughly professional performance from Sharon Fleming's side, with every member of the squad making a contribution in what proved to be a comprehensive team victory, earning them six league points to Cookham Dean's one.