FUTURE BRIGHT FOR NORTH-WEST WOMEN

The North West Emerging Women’s side started the Future Series with a convincing win against their NCU counterparts in Belfast. The new competition for Under 25’s sees the two along with Leinster battling it out across T20 and 50-overs formats for the Cricket Ireland trophy.

After the first T20 was washed out, the sides played a 50-overs contest at Stormont, and the local side – with no fewer than seven members from Tyrone sides – got off to the best possible start with a wicket from the first ball by Eglinton left-arm seamer Jenni Jackson. She would go on to claim a five-wicket haul in a truly inspired spell.

The hosts rallied from a poor start where they were reduced to 57 for five thanks primarily to Waringstown’s Abbi Harrison, who dominated a sixth wicket stand that doubled the score with Lucy Andrews (21). Harrison went on to top-score with 70 (10 fours) in an NCU total of 135, with wickets also for Millie Spence, Chloe Deans and Alice McLaughlin.

Lucy McGranaghan (18) and Sarah Black (16) got the chase off to a solid start with an opening stand of 32 that set the tone for a successful pursuit of their modest total.

Bready’s Millie Spence top-scored with an unbeaten 41 (4 fours), while there were also double figure contributions from Chloe Deans and Jodie Spence as the Warriors clinched the six-wicket win in the 30th over to go top of the table.

They return to action next week when they take on Leinster in back-to-back matches at Ballyspallen, when skipper Sarah Black will be hoping to lift the trophy.