The Central Sparks face the South East Stars in their final Charlotte Edwards Cup fixture to end their T20 campaign, at Kent’s Spitfire Ground tomorrow.
Sparks’ last two games ended in a win and a loss against the Southern Vipers and Western Storm respectively.
FIXTURE: South East Stars v Central Sparks
Competition: Charlotte Edwards Cup
Date: Wednesday 7 June, 2023
Game start: 14:00
Venue: Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence
Central Sparks
The Sparks’ T20 journey looks all set to end after their game with the South East Stars on Wednesday. Lloyd Tennant’s side were beaten in Bristol by Western Storm on Sunday, after a heroic victory over the Southern Vipers at Edgbaston the day before.
Sparks’ T20 record hasn’t been the best, but their performances have warranted more wins than they’ve got, and that is something the game in Canterbury will provide – a chance to get back to winning ways to end the Charlotte Edwards Cup on a high.
Since making her debut against The Blaze in Leicestershire, all-rounder Bethan Ellis took three wickets last Saturday, to give the Sparks a new death bowler option. She also contributed nicely with the bat, which has seen her pick up a nomination for player of the month for May & June.
As well as Ellis, Erin Burns has been producing some quality performances too. In the game against Storm, Burns scored her first half-century in a Sparks shirt when she finished on (66) runs.
Tennant’s side have played well this season for the most part, but fell short in a few too many games which has made this game in Kent a must win, to end the T20 campaign on a high, and provide the team with a building block to take into the rest of the season, when they return to 50 over action.
South East Stars
The Stars, like the Sparks, still have a slim chance of reaching the competition’s finals day, but results must go their way as well as handling their own business.
Stars have fared quite well this season for the most part, they sit second in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy standings, but are sixth in the Charlotte Edwards Cup table.
Like the visitors, the Stars will be without some of their key players as they have been selected for training camp with England. Paige Schofield, Alice Davidson-Richards and Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey will be missing for the Stars, while Amy Jones, Eve Jones and Issy Wong have been chosen from Tennant’s side.
Head-to-Head
In the last meeting of the two, the Stars won by 59 runs, but prior to that the Sparks were victorious by two wickets. Stars’ win coming in the 50 overs competition, while the Sparks beat Wednesday’s hosts on finals day in last year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup.
Player to Watch
South East Stars captain Bryony Smith is the player to watch for the hosts on Wednesday, as the all-rounder will look to guide her side to victory at the Spitfire Ground.
Smith has been an ever-present this season for Johann Myburgh’s team, and has contributed in both facets of the game in 2023, scoring 300 runs so far with bat in hand, with (83) of those coming against the Southern Vipers last month.
Smith has experience of playing for England, and the 25-year-old will be key if the Stars are to record their third win of their T20 campaign on Wednesday.
Ticketing information
The game is due to be a double header with the Kent Spitfires, as they take on Essex in the Vitality T20 Blast upon conclusion of the game between the Stars and Central Sparks.
You can purchase tickets through Kent’s official club website here!
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