Northern Diamonds 166 for 1 (Winfield-Hill 69*, Armitage 61*) beat Thunder 165 (Levick 4-38) by 9 wickets
Northern Diamonds cruised their method to an opening-day nine-wicket victory over Thunder at Chester-le-Avenue due to commanding performances from three of their most skilled gamers.
Solely opening batter Seren Smale confirmed any actual opposition with the bat for Thunder with a knock of 32 on the high of the order on a disappointing day for Ellie Threlkeld’s facet who have been a distant second greatest in all areas of the sport.
Thunder by no means actually recovered from the early blow of shedding Emma Lamb, bowled by Jessica Woolston with out scoring, along with her fellow opener Smale subsequently struggling to seek out any companions of substance.
Australian debutant Katie Mack threatened to do the job with a breezy 19 earlier than she was trapped in entrance by Abi Glenn who then bowled Fi Morris first ball to go away Thunder 40 for 3.
It was a busy day for the umpires with each Threlkeld after which Smale departing leg-before with the latter’s 32 the highest rating of the innings solely matched by the identical variety of extras.
Threlkeld was Levick’s first sufferer because the legspinner turned the screw successfully with the runs drying up for Thunder regardless of some defiance from Namoi Dattani, Danielle Collins and Tara Norris because the guests squeezed their approach above 150.
It was Levick’s day although and final season’s main wicket-taker for Diamonds took the final three wickets to fall to shut with usually sturdy figures of 4 for 38 from 9.1 overs as Thunder have been bowled out for a below-par 165.
Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis attacked from the beginning of the Diamonds innings and though each Phoebe Graham and Mahika Gaur bowled tightly they have been unable to make a vital early breakthrough for Thunder.
It was not till the 14th over when Diamonds had reached 59 and seen off the opening bowlers that the wicket lastly got here and when it did it was one thing of gimme: Kalis one way or the other scooping a full toss from slow-left armer Hannah Jones into the fingers of Dattini at midwicket for 28.
Regardless of Threlkeld shuffling her pack, a second wicket did not materialise with Armitage becoming a member of Winfield-Hill on the crease and the pair attacking Norris and Morris, particularly, with some highly effective hitting.
Winfield-Hill eased previous her half-century because the second-wicket partnership was a match-winning one with the one actual drama regarding if Armitage would be a part of her in reaching the landmark, which she did within the thirty fourth over.
The century partnership got here up shortly earlier than the successful runs have been hit leaving Winfield-Hill and Armitage each not out on the shut of a really satisfying day for Northern Diamonds who claimed the bonus-point victory.