And she came a Waltzing Matilda for the Ts
Ts win a thriller against Horley & Outwood in Surrey Women's League
The Twickenham CC women's XI enjoyed a thrilling victory against Horley & Outwood CC on Sunday 20 August. The star of the show was Australian debutant Andriana Oliver; she helped herself to an impressive half-century plus a couple of wickets. Excellent stuff.
The game was the final match in the TCC Women's Surrey Women's Cricket League 2023 campaign. The Ts were going to go either up nor down in the ladder, but there was still every incentive to try and finish the league season on a high.
The Ts batted first and put 156 on the board from their 30 overs. Skipper Sarai Knight contributed 33 (34 balls), whilst Hannah Munday, batting at eight, chipped in with 20 (22 balls). The star of the show was nonetheless Andriana Oliver; she helped herself to 51 off 54 balls to set the Ts up nicely.
Rumour had it beforehand that Oliver was more a bowler than a batter, so with that in mind the Ts started their defence of the total in optimistic mood. Horley & Outwood's skipper, Charlotte Gouldsborough, nonetheless set a defiant tone at the top of the order; she scored 46 at quicker than a run-a-ball to get the hosts out of the blocks quickly.
Lauren Waddington at four carried that on, notching 57. The Ts were coming under the pump. Sarai Knight helped steady the ship with a couple of wickets, but it was Oliver who removed Gouldsborough (caught by Eleanor Doherty) to really begin shifting things Twickenham's way.
Even then, Horley & Outwood kept at it as the game went down to the wire. Justine Whyman (23) hung around, but the run rate slowed as Doherty, Knight, Oliver, Hannah Munday, Janet Hopper and Robin Hall kept things tight.
Skipper Sarai Knight took on the task of bowling the final over. Tension rose as the excellent Lauren Waddington was run out (by a combination of Hannah Munday and Katie Martin-Fagg), and the big question now was whether Knight could hold her nerve and prevent the ball going to the ropes. She did, and when the dust settled the hosts were an agonising two runs short. The Ts were home and hosed, and the proud owners of 25 more points (see here for the card and see here for the league table).
An excellent game and an excellent win. Magnificent stuff!