Womens 1st XI v Binfield Womens 2nd XI

Jyothis and Green Star as Sonning Women Crush Binfield in Dominant Display

Sonning Women's 1st XI produced a commanding all-round performance to sweep aside Binfield in their Division 3 A league fixture on 22 June, chasing down a target of 93 with nine wickets in hand and fewer than 11 overs required.

Captain Sharon Fleming won the toss and elected to field, a decision vindicated almost immediately as Sonning's opening bowlers tore through the top of the Binfield order. Geethika Jyothis was devastating with the new ball, removing Jessica Jackson for a first-ball duck before bowling Michelle Slaughter for nought and then having Lize Lamprecht caught for just two. In between, Michaela Herrett struck with her first delivery to trap Monika Nicholls lbw for nought. At 5 for 5, Binfield were staring down the barrel.

It took a gutsy sixth-wicket partnership to drag the visitors back into the contest. Sophie Studd and Amelia Hart combined for a stand of 65 runs that transformed the innings. Studd was the more aggressive of the pair, striking four boundaries in her knock of 31 from 53 balls, while Hart contributed a patient 14 from 39 deliveries before Herrett bowled her to break the partnership with the score on 70.

Studd's departure two runs later, caught off Herrett, effectively ended the resistance. Herrett then removed captain Manisha Naik lbw for four and had Katy Slaughter caught to complete a superb five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5-23 from her five overs. Jackie Rawes added eight before Belle Myers bowled her to claim 1-7 from four tidy overs. Binfield were dismissed for 92 from 24 overs, with extras contributing 26 runs to the total — 21 of those wides.

Jyothis's remarkable spell deserves particular attention: 5-1-5-4, including a maiden, was the most economical bowling performance of the match and the foundation upon which the victory was built. Her four wickets for just five runs left Binfield reeling from the outset.

The chase was swift and emphatic. Rita Green set the tone from the opening over, dispatching the Binfield bowlers to all parts with six fours in an unbeaten 41 from just 29 balls. She and Jyothis put on 38 for the first wicket before Jyothis fell lbw to Naik for 16, an innings that included three boundaries from 15 balls. Loryn D'Roza then joined Green and saw Sonning home with an unbeaten 14 from 20 deliveries, hitting two fours of her own.

Binfield's bowling struggled for control throughout the run chase, conceding 22 extras including 19 wides. Lisa Jones bore the brunt of the punishment, conceding 36 runs from her three overs. Sonning reached their target in just 10.2 overs, completing a comprehensive victory that earned them the full 25 league points and underlined the depth of quality within this side on both sides of the ball.