Womens 1st XI v Wargrave Womens 1st XI

Rita Green's Brilliant 31 Steers Sonning Women to Victory at Wargrave

Sonning Women's 1st XI chased down Wargrave's total of 102 with nearly five overs to spare in this Monday evening friendly at Wargrave Cricket Club, reaching 103 for 4 in just 15.1 overs after captain Katie Barrows won the toss and inserted the hosts.

Wargrave's innings got off to the worst possible start when Marta Gomez-Santos was bowled by Michaela Herrett for a duck off just her first delivery, leaving the hosts 1 for 1. However, opener Ruth Payne steadied the ship with a composed knock of 22 from 24 balls, striking three boundaries before retiring. Eshitha Ramesh contributed a useful 16 from 21 deliveries, sharing a 40-run second-wicket partnership with Ashleigh Fido that gave Wargrave's innings some much-needed momentum.

The middle overs saw Wargrave build solidly, with Alice Ledson adding 12 and Allison Holloway playing the most fluent innings of the first half, smashing an unbeaten 16 from just 12 balls including two fours. Their 47-run third-wicket stand was the most productive partnership of the innings, helping Wargrave to a competitive 102 for 3 from their 20 overs.

Sonning's bowling attack was led by Herrett, whose three overs of opening hostility yielded just eight runs and the crucial early wicket. Chloe Bailey was equally effective, returning figures of 1 for 12 from her three overs when she bowled Ledson. Nic Blunden claimed the scalp of Ramesh, caught smartly by Rita Green, to finish with 1 for 13 from two overs. The 25 extras conceded, including 24 wides, will be an area Sonning look to tighten up.

The chase began briskly as Herrett and Blunden put on 25 for the first wicket. Blunden was particularly aggressive, cracking three fours in her 17 from 17 balls before being bowled by Ruth Payne, who proved a handful with the ball as well. Payne struck again immediately, dismissing Hannah Brooks for a duck to leave Sonning wobbling slightly at 31 for 2.

Enter Rita Green. Batting at number four, Green played an outstanding innings of 31 from just 21 balls, dispatching four boundaries as she took the Wargrave attack apart. She put on 27 for the third wicket with Sharon Fleming and a further 21 with skipper Barrows, wresting control of the chase decisively. Payne did pick up a third wicket when Fleming was caught by Sophie Hucker for 1, finishing with excellent figures of 3 for 21 from her four overs, but Green's assault ensured the required rate was never a concern.

Though Barrows fell for 2, caught by Georgia Harsham off Gomez-Santos, Sonning were well on course by then. Green retired not out with the job largely done, and Chloe Bailey's breezy unbeaten 6, including a boundary, alongside Liz Rhodes saw Sonning home with the scores level before pushing past the target. The 28 extras in the Wargrave bowling effort, featuring 26 wides, eased Sonning's task considerably, but this was ultimately a clinical run chase anchored by Green's match-winning contribution.