Stingers Soft Ball v Crowthorne & Crown Wood Womens Softball

Stingers Fall Short as Crowthorne Claim Victory in Indoor League Clash

Sonning Stingers Soft Ball suffered an eight-run defeat to Crowthorne & Crown Wood in the Berkshire Women's Softball Indoor 2021 league, with the hosts posting 88 for 3 from their 12 overs before restricting the Stingers to 80 for 5 in reply on 28 November 2021.

Crowthorne won the toss and chose to bat first, and their innings was built on contributions across the order. Captain Lorna Owens top-scored with 16 off 14 balls, clearing the boundary once for six, while Helena Jones added a composed 15 from 18 deliveries, striking two fours. Gillian Finucane (10 off 9) and Gill O'Loughlin (10 off just 6 balls) provided useful runs at the top and tail of the innings respectively, with Marsha Connelly chipping in with 9. Extras played a significant role, with 48 added to the Crowthorne total — including 25 penalty runs and 20 wides — inflating what might otherwise have been a modest score.

The Stingers' bowling was a mixed affair. Grace Phillips was the most economical, conceding just 11 runs from her two overs without a wicket. Captain Melissa Pengraeve bowled tidily for figures of 2-0-12-1, while Sudaf Waheed also claimed a wicket but was more expensive at 2-0-20-1. Candice Cameron's two overs proved costly, leaking 20 runs including 12 wides, and Siobhan Davis conceded six wides in her spell. The extras column ultimately proved damaging to Sonning's cause.

In reply, the Stingers needed a strong start but instead lost Eva Simmons cheaply, the opener managing only 4 from 10 balls. It was left to skipper Pengraeve to provide the fireworks with the bat. She struck a magnificent 26 off just 14 balls, thumping three sixes and a four in a display of clean hitting that briefly gave Sonning hope of chasing down the target.

Siobhan Davis contributed a valuable 14 from 14 balls, finding the boundary once and clearing it for six, while Sudaf Waheed offered late resistance with 12 off 14 deliveries including a six. However, the Stingers lost wickets too regularly, finishing with five dismissals, and could not generate enough momentum around Pengraeve's explosive knock. Candice Cameron added 6, but Grace Phillips was restricted to just 3 from her nine balls.

Crowthorne's bowling was disciplined when it mattered most. Marsha Connelly was the standout, taking 2 for 9 from her two overs despite conceding seven wides. Gillian Finucane and Lou Roberts both kept things remarkably tight, each conceding only 6 runs from their allotted overs. Gill O'Loughlin picked up a wicket for 13 runs. While Lorna Owens was taken for 29 off her two overs — largely at the hands of Pengraeve — the remaining bowlers ensured the Stingers never truly threatened the target.

Despite Pengraeve's outstanding individual effort with the bat, the damage done by extras during the Crowthorne innings and the Stingers' inability to bat deep enough ultimately proved decisive. Crowthorne claimed four league points to Sonning's one, leaving the Stingers with work to do in the competition.