Tammy Beaumont, Kathryn Bryce, Kirstie Gordon shine for Lightning in RHF Trophy

Lightning won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont were cautious in the beginning. Sarah took 23 balls to get off the mark while Beaumont was classy as always. Captain Alex Hartley provided a much-needed breakthrough for Thunder with a wicket of Sarah in the 18th over. Her sister Kathryn joined Beaumont and built on the start.

The right-handed pair combined for a partnership of 98 runs for the second wicket. Beaumont was impressive throughout her knock and looked ready for the international summer ahead. The other England international Sophie Ecclestone dismissed Beaumont and Abigail Freeborn in a single over but didn’t help Thunder. Kathryn continued on her merry way and scored 74 off 95 balls to lead her side beyond 250. Lightning scored 77 runs in the last ten overs and lost only two wickets.

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Thunder’s opener and centurion from the first match, Emma Lamb, started things off with two fours in Sophie Munro’s second over. It was a slow chase otherwise which got even more tricky when Gordon sent back the other opener Georgie Boyce and wicket-keeper Eleanor Threlkeld in her first over. Australian import Piepa Cleary only lasted for 18 balls and once Lamb was caught by Gordon, Thunder’s downfall seemed inevitable.

Natalie Brown, batting at five (24), and skipper Hartley (26) tried to put up a fight with the lower-order but it was too little too late. Thunder’s innings ended in the 40th over with 125 on the board. 23-year-old Lucy Higham chipped in with three wickets and Teresa Graves took two off her five overs. Lightning bagged five points are they are now placed fifth in the RHF Trophy after the third round.

Brief Scores: Lightning 259/5 in 50 overs (Tammy Beaumont 89, Kathryn Bryce 74; Sophie Ecclestone 2/23) beat Thunder 125 all out in 39.2 overs (Emma Lamb 42, Alex Hartley 26; Kirstie Gordon 4/23) by 134 runs.