In my posting last Sunday I finished on the optimistic note that the sun was out and I was off to St George's Road Harrogate for the match between Yorkshire Women and their Kent counterparts. Alas my optimism was misplaced because before I had completed the twelve mile journey rain had was falling and on my arrival SGR presented a dismal picture. Play did eventually get underway at 2:15 in a match shortened to 36 overs. A strong breeze kept further showers at bay and an interesting match unfolded.
Kent had travelled north in the knowledge that victory in their two matches of the weekend would make them champions for after Yorkshire on Sunday they would face Lancashire at Newton le Willows on Monday. In the first encounter Yorkshire won the toss and the first over saw the dismissal of skipper Tamsin Beaumont, lbw to England colleague Katherine Brunt and shortly afterwards Alice Davidson-Richards joined her in the pavilion at 26 for 2. There then followed a 55 run partnership between Fran Wilson and Maxine Blythin which formed the core of the innings but with Katie Thompson getting three wickets Kent were all out for 121 on the last ball of their 36 overs.
Yorkshire got off to a good start through Lauren Winfield and Hollie Armitage but off-spinner Megan cleaned up the middle order and the white rose fell five runs short, top scorer Leah Dobson 30 not out. Towards the end of the Kent innings there was an unfortunate accident when, in saving a boundary, Yorkshire's Ella Telford collided heavily with the sightscreen and had to go to hospital.*
Monday morning was almost identical to Sunday for having left the Lower Ure Valley in sunshine, this time enroute for Headingley, I ran into heavy showers on the outskirts of Leeds and the start of the first championship match of the season at the ground was delayed until 12:20 when after a contested toss Lyth and Brook opened for Yorkshire against Hants. Steady progress was made until further rain brought an early lunch at 12:50. Fearing more delays and having received a weather report from my wife who was in Harrogate that it was sunny and bright I decided Yorkshire Women v Sussex was a better prospect and retraced my journey.
This time Yorkshire had been put in and made a good start through Armitage and Winfield which after the latter was stumped rose to 90 for 1 at the halfway stage. Another 100 was added off the last twenty five overs as Yorkshire finished on 190 for 9, wickets for Chiara Green and Freya Davies. Sussex, who had been successful against Lancs the previous day were never in the hunt and fell 51 short. Meanwhile over the Pennines Kent were clinching the championship with a round of matches to spare beating Lancashire by six wickets.
More County Championship games next week with both Yorkshire and Durham in action. Essex, fourth in the table travel to Yorkshire who after yesterday's draw with Hants are third. The 2017 champions will come north in good heart after a comprehensive victory over Kent and Sir Alastair in excellent form. The surprise in the top division has been the poor form of Surrey and Notts who have not managed a win between them in 8 attempts. In the matches starting on Monday Surrey host Somerset at Guildford and Notts are at Edgabston.
In Division 2 Durham will hope to stop their run of losses which including two games at the end of last season now extends to six. Derbyshire are their visitors and the Peakites come with two wins from four and lie second in the table. Lancashire are top and face Leicestershire at Liverpool. Competing with the World Cup the Championship has an unbroken run of matches until mid July when on the 18th and four days after the World Cup final, T20 is back. Oh good.
Yorkshire women plot Sussex downfall.
* It was good to see Ella back on the ground on Monday when, despite a black eye and a grazed face, she seemed in very good spirits.
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