Metro Bank One-Day Cup – Women: Durham, 290 for 5, beat Warwickshire 289 for 6, by five wickets.
A brilliant all-round display by Mady Villiers lifted Durham to a five-wicket victory over Warwickshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Edgbaston.
Warwickshire totalled an imposing 289 for six thanks to Davina Perrina (69 from 105 balls), Charis Pavely (55, 59) and Nat Wraith (54, 35). Villiers led the bowling attack with three for 38 – and then unfurled a glorious first century for Durham with the bat.
The 27-year-old struck her maiden professional century (106 from 86 balls) to underpin Durham’s progress to 290 for five with 25 balls to spare. Villiers laid a spectacular victory foundation on which Emily Windsor built skilfully to see her side home with an unbeaten 85 (83)
After choosing to bat, Warwickshire enjoyed an immediate reprieve when Perrin, still to score, was dropped by Katherine Fraser at point off Villiers. It was to a prove costly error. Durham did remove Amu Surenkumar, bowled, slog-sweeping, at Villiers, and Meg Austin, who skied Katie Levick to mid-on, but Perrin and Pavely added 108 in 19 overs.
Perrin reached her-half-century from 91 balls while Pavely raced to hers in 51 and brought up the Bears’ 100 in the grand manner, with a six pulled over mid-wicket off Abi Glen. The partnership ended when Villiers dropped short and Perrin, six in her sights, pulled hard but found only deep mid-wicket. Pavely followed six balls later, just as her third century in successive innings was starting to beckon. Called for a tight single by Chloe Brewer, she was beaten by Emma Marlow’s direct hit from extra cover.
Durham failed to build on the two quick wickets as Wraith and Brewer added 79 in 11 overs, the former adding important late impetus with seven fours and a six before lifting Levick to long off.
Alexa Stonehouse inflicted early damage on Durham’s reply with wickets in each of her first two overs, Marlow clipped to mid-wicket and Hollie Armitage’s leg-stump was struck by a swinging yorker,
Villiers and Tahlia Wilson added 58 in 13 overs before the latter lifted a Hannah Baker full toss to mid on. Villiers was assertive from ball one as she sped to 50 from 53 balls and, with superb footwork and strokeplay, reached 100 in just another 32. When she fell, bowled through an attempted big hit at Baker, Durham were right back in the game.
Windsor and Bess Heath (29, 28) kept the momentum high with a stand of 67 in ten overs. Heath pulled Stonehouse to deep square leg, but Windsor found another productive partner in Grace Thompson (30 not out, 22) and the sixth-wicket pair saw the job through with an unbroken stand of 66 in 40 balls.