Yorkshire Cricket Board

On what was set to be a glorious day for cricket both teams paid their respects to the victims of the Manchester bombing earlier in the week with a minute’s silence prior to the start of play.

Having won the toss Derbyshire decided to bat on a green wicket. After Yorkshires opening partnership of Fenella Hibbert and Katie Baines set off with a wicket a piece in the first two overs Derbyshire were on the back foot.

Some excellent fielding all round by the team culminated in all-rounder Libby Fox reducing the home side to 12 for 3 after an excellent run out to remove Molly Dytham.

Slowly a steady Derbyshire started to rebuild their innings, the driving force coming from 1st XI player Lucy Yates. Yorkshire continued to bowl extremely well although luck had gone with the home side as plenty of half chances raced through the slip cordon off the bowling of skipper Rachel Slater.

Yorkshire held their nerves through drinks and after a bowling change brought spinner Emma Brown who removed Alice Harwood. An outstanding catch from Fran Goldthorp off Browns bowling and Yates was gone one short of her half century with the score on 66 for 5.

With Yates gone the home side offered little residence Brown ending her spell with figures of 4 overs 2 maidens 3 wickets for 5 runs. Slater and Baines chipped n with a wicket a piece but it was Fenella Hibbert who was just too good for Derbyshire as she swung ball both ways to finish with figures of 7 overs 2 maidens 4 wickets for just 11 runs. The home sides innings ended in the 32nd over with the score on 74 all out.

After an extended tea break and with no chance of things cooling off the Yorkshire openers Amy Jobling and Leah Dobson looked to be in fine form with plenty of time to spend at the crease. With the score on 16, however, Dobson was caught in two minds and was bowled by pace bowler Suzie Ljubojevic.

Fran Goldthorp joined Jobling at the crease with Goldthorp also looking in fine form. The pair moved the score to 34 before Jobling was bowled by Julia Draycott. Georgia Draper and Goldthorp were unable to capitalise as Derbyshire kept up their good bowling throughout the innings. Yorkshire then lost Draper (LBW) and Goldthorp (bowled) after a ball kept low on a wicket that had played true throughout, reducing them to 49 for 4.

Skipper Slater however had no intention of hanging around in the heat, supported by Libby Fox, Slater punished the bad balls hitting 21 in prolific fashion, smashing one final 4 to bring the Yorkshire innings to a close on 76 in the 27th over.

Captain slater said after the match “Really pleased with everything the girls did today. We were excellent in the field and although we would have liked to lose a few less wickets chasing a low total we got the job done.”

Yorkshire move into T20 mode next Tuesday as they come up against Shropshire and Nottinghamshire in a double header before traveling to Burnley on June 6th for a roses clash against Lancashire and Cheshire on the 8th June.