South East Stars win inaugural Charlotte Edwards Cup

NICK FRIEND AT THE AGEAS BOWL: Capsey – English cricket’s newest starlet – reasserted her burgeoning reputation in stabilising a mini-collapse before leading her side to victory over Northern Diamonds

Ageas Bowl: Northern Diamonds 138-4, South East Stars 139-5 - South East Stars win by five wickets

Scorecard

South East Stars won the inaugural Charlotte Edwards Cup, beating Northern Diamonds by five wickets at the Ageas Bowl.

Bryony Smith’s side were largely in control once she – alongside fellow opener Aylish Cranstone – had taken down Diamonds’ bowling attack in the powerplay as they responded to a first-innings score of 138 for 4, three runs more than Diamonds had made in beating Southern Vipers in the day’s earlier eliminator.

Stars have been the most impressive side in the competition and had lost just once en route to the final. So, despite an unbeaten half century for Hollie Armitage and cameos from Sterre Kalis and Jenny Gunn, Diamonds’ total was made to seem insufficient before long.

It took a moment of luck for the first wicket to arrive, with Cranstone tredding on her stumps as she set off for a run – a misfortune that brought Alice Capsey to the crease. She would ultimately be named as player of the match, finishing not out on 40 from just 26 balls, having hit four fours and a six while wickets tumbled around her.

Bryony Smith was bowled by the left-arm spin of namesake Linsey Smith, before Grace Gibbs and Phoebe Franklin both picked out boundary-riders.

Capsey rebuilt alongside Alice Davidson-Richards, putting together a 51-run stand that all but sealed the deal, though Davidson-Richards was well caught by Armitage at short cover as a consolation for Diamonds, who have now lost the finals of both domestic tournaments in the last 12 months, having been beaten by Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy last September.

Earlier, they had put together a competitive total for their varied group of bowlers to work with. Bess Heath and Leah Dobson each scored at a run-a-ball through the powerplay, before Armitage recorded her highest score of the season, Kalis made 18 and Gunn – for the second time in the day – struck 22.

Stars’ spin-heavy attack kept them predominantly in check: Capsey, Gibbs, Dani Gregory, Kalea Moore and Bryony Smith shared 16 overs between them, before handing over to their batters to complete the job, with Capsey – English cricket’s newest starlet – only reasserting her burgeoning reputation in stabilising a mini-collapse before leading her side to victory.