Central Sparks’ T20 campaign begins on Thursday as the Sparks travel down south to Chelmsford to face the Sunrisers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
In their latest fixture, the Sparks were victorious in a six wicket win over the Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Overview
Fixture: Sunrisers v Central Sparks
Competition: Charlotte Edwards Cup
Date: Thursday 18 May 2023
Game start: 18:30pm
Venue: CloudFM County Ground
Central Sparks
After a series of back-to-back losses, the Sparks recorded their first win in three with a victory over the Southern Vipers last time out in their final Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy game until the Charlotte Edwards Cup begins. From five games, Lloyd Tennant’s side have won two, lost two and tied once.
As well as their win over the Vipers, their other win came against the Northern Diamonds, while they lost in the return fixture to the Vipers, they were also beaten by the Blaze, while tying with Thunder.
There have been some standout performers in the Sparks side, most noticeably recruit Erin Burns, who has taken nine wickets in her first two games. The seam attack of Em Arlott, Grace Potts, Katie George and Issy Wong has been firing and has served as a great source of attack for the West Midlands side. The batting has picked up, after captain Eve Jones has recorded two half centuries so far this season,
The Sparks are yet to have come up against the Sunrisers, this will be the first time the sides have met in 2023.
Sunrisers
The Sunrisers, in difference to the Sparks have struggled a bit more in the first five RHFT games. They’ve lost three of their five games, winning just once against the Southern Vipers.
Their defeats have come at the hands of the South East Stars, Northern Diamonds and the Blaze.
They have had issues with the weather, like many teams but going in to the T20 competition, the Sunrisers will want to get off to a good start. Star performer, spin bowler Abtaha Maqsood has taken a lot of wickets so far, and caused opposing batters’ problems as it’s clear she is the big player in the Sunrisers squad.
Head-to-Head
In recent games between the two sides, they have faced off four times since 2021 and the Sparks have been victorious in all those matches. The latest one, in September last year, ended in a win for the Sparks by 139 runs.
Sunrisers, at home will want that record to change.
Player to watch
The player to watch for Thursday night’s hosts is Grace Scrivens. The 19-year-old batting all-rounder has come through the ranks at her county club, made a name for herself during the England under 19’s World Cup campaign in South Africa, and she is a key figure in the Sunrisers line-up.
The Kent-born player is only young, but she can score runs and bowls right-arm off break and will be a player the Sunrisers will use in both halves of the match at Chelmsford to cause the Sparks issues with the bat, and ball in hand.
So far in the competition, she has scored 67 runs, in the team’s only win of the season so far against the Vipers back in April and was also just 11 runs off a 50 against the Blaze in the same month.
Ticketing Information
The game is a 6.30pm start, with tickets being able to be purchased through the Sunrisers here!
The tickets are priced at £10 for Adults, £5 for 17 & under and Young Adult/Student tickets also £5.
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