Lilly-Mai Taylor shone for Durham Women’s Academy with seven wickets in three games as they recorded T20 victory over Lancashire Thunder.
Durham took on Lancashire in an ECB 50 over fixture at Bradshaw before a T20 double header at Newton-le-Willows.
Game 1:
Taylor was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/34 in defeat for Durham against Lancashire. Tilly Kesteven won the toss for Lancashire and chose to bat first, top scoring with 51. The Red Rose were 64 for one before Taylor’s quartet of wickets saw the hosts lose four wickets for 23 runs.
Taylor took three wickets in as many overs before prising the key scalp of Kesteven. Laura Trotter then picked up two wickets and Charlotte Stubbs, Amelie Butterwick and Emily Whiting all claimed a wicket apiece as Durham bowled out Lancashire for 171.
Harriet Robson, Petra Tweedy and Alice Eltringham all made it past 15 to get the Ds off to a positive start, ending the powerplay 62 for two.
Regular wickets then began to fall as Durham were dismissed for 89 inside 24 overs. Weerappulli starred for the hosts with the ball, claiming figures of 5/26 with Olivia Cunliffe taking three wickets and Eliza Cottam and Grace Hemsted claiming one each.
Game 2:
Taylor continued to shine with figures of 3/24 against the Thunder in the first of two T20s at Newton-le-Willows.
After Durham chose to bowl first, Freya Rook and Trotter took two wickets each before Taylor took a trio of wickets, including Liberty Heap for 37.
The Ds dismissed the hosts for 153 after 20 overs and won with five wickets to spare. Abi Glen led the way with 46 from 35 balls, striking eight boundaries; she was backed by Whiting’s 33 and 23 not out from Stubbs.
Game 3:
Lancashire came away with victory in the final encounter as Durham batted first. Glen opened the batting, scoring 37 and was backed up by Trotter’s 30 as the visitors posted 120 for nine; Hemsted and Weerappulli claimed three apiece for the hosts.
Durham struggled to put pressure on the Red Rose before Glen’s three wicket burst saw Lancashire reduced to 98 for five but Olivia Brinsden’s half-century saw the hosts over the line.