Rachel Slater’s Stellar Performance Propels Northern Diamonds to Victory in Charlotte Edwards Cup 2024

Thunder 61 (Slater 3–12) lost to Northern Diamonds 62 for 5 (Duckworth 21*) by five wickets.

In their match against their bitter rivals at Durham’s Seat Unique Riverside, Northern Diamonds knocked Lancashire Thunder out for just 61, the lowest score in the four-year history of the Charlotte Edwards Cup. They won by five wickets with 6.2 overs remaining.

In a final group match that began with neither team able to advance to Saturday’s Finals Day, Scotland left-arm seamer Rachel Slater returned a superb three for 12 from four overs bowled straight through with the new ball, while opener partner Lizzie Scott also struck twice added to two wickets for the off-spin of Erin Burns.

The Diamonds, having nearly flawlessly taken advantage of favorable bowling conditions, ended this tumultuous game at 37 for four. However, Thunder had given themselves too much to accomplish, and with an undefeated 21, their former batter Rebecca Duckworth led the hosts over the finish line.

Both sides finished this competition with three wins from their 10 matches. The previous two games were lost by Thunder and won by Diamonds.

This was the first of two Roses T20s in as many nights, as Yorkshire as a region is hosting the Diamonds. Tomorrow’s Vitality Blast will see the men’s teams play at Headingley. And the White Rose County delivered the first blow with great force.

Diamonds made the right decision at the toss and were off to a near-perfect start. Captain Hollie Armitage chose to bowl on a green pitch, which provided both Slater and Scott—the latter playing her first T20 match of the season—with tremendous swing and clear seam movement.

After losing important trio Emma Lamb, Australian Katie Mack, and in-form Seren Smale, whose 88 not out in their loss against Central Sparks on Friday marked – at the time – the best score by any batter in this championship, Thunder stumbled to 19 for four inside the first five overs.

Left-armer Slater bowled Lamb and Smale, while Scott had Fi Morris and Mack caught, the latter beautifully by a diving Katherine Fraser at backward point.

Sadly, Thunder’s situation rapidly deteriorated, with Tara Norris, batting at number nine, scoring the highest of the team with 13. On a beautiful North East day, batters came and went in a procession, but only three of them reached double figures.

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At the striker’s end, captain Ellie Threlkeld was run out of cover by rookie all-rounder Grace Johnson, who chipped Slater to mid-off – 24 for six in the eighth.

After Australian Burns bowled Kate Cross, the score was reduced to 50 for seven in the eleventh over due to the circumstances. Norris had hit back-to-back boundaries through the covers off former Thunder seamer Sophia Turner.

However, it was only a temporary break. Before Liberty Heap was leg-spun out of the ground by Scotland’s Katherine Fraser, Norris was bowled on the pull. And Thunder were all out in 15 overs, a record low total, when Sophie Morris chipped Burns to cover.

After eight overs, with 25 runs still needed, left-arm spinner Morris and new ball seamer Cross each struck twice to give the Diamonds something to think about at 37 for four.

England‘s Cross finished with figures of two for 14 from four overs after trapping Emma Marlow leg before wicket and having Bess Heath caught behind. Duckworth scored the highest of the game with an undefeated 21.