Hampshire beat Birmingham as the sun final shines

For the first time of the day, there was a full scheduled game. It was the last good luck that Birmingham Bears were to have.
That luck was typified by Marie Kelly having top scored in the first game but was caught and bowled by Maia Bouchier at the second attempt. Hit back hard at the bowler and as she spilt the ball her momentum took her with the ball long enough for Bouchier to pouch it safely.
At the end of the powerplay, The Bears were 45 for 3. Ria Fackerell hit 2 fours in a brief stay at the crease but was bowled by Charlie Dean for 8.
Samantha Betts the Australian then had Thea Brookes caught and bowled. Georgia Davis was Betts second wicket as she finished with figures of 2 for 21.
Birmingham were bowled out for just 95. It was a total that Hampshire would expect to win 8 times out of 10. The Bears have a bowling attack that has wicket taking options throughout.
What those bowlers would have to do was take early wickets. It was Brookes in the field, however, that ensured Hampshire didn’t get off to the best of starts. Charlotte Taylor coming back for a second run didn’t account for the gun arm of Brookes.
Hampshire didn’t panic and their next three batters all scored 20. Katie George the mainstay of the innings batted through and hit the winning run with a whole over to spare.
Jessica Couser did start to put doubts in the batters as she took four for 18. Couser took the wickets of both Maia Bouchier and Betts as they had started to dominate. When the wickets of Fi Morris and Emily Winsor fell in Couser’s third over Birmingham were in the hunt.
The boundaries started to dry up but there was no stage in which Hampshire needed to score at more than a run a ball. With three overs to go the last boundary from a Hampshire batter was in the twelfth over.
Charlie Dean with 15 balls to go paddle swept Bethan Ellis for four. It lifted the pressure completely and Hampshire won by four wickets.