Under-18 Girls start with double win

May 31, 2026

SUFFOLK Under-18 Girls began their ECB Vitality Group 6 T20 campaign with a double victory over Cambridgeshire.

They won both matches at Burwell & Exning CC on Bank Holiday Monday by eight wickets and seven wickets respectively.

After Suffolk won the toss and elected to field in the first game, captain Callie Bradbury made a double change with Cambridgeshire 27 for 0 off four overs, bringing on Evie Tassell and Ismene Johnson.

Johnson’s made the breakthrough in her first over, removing the fast-scoring Lulu Harding for 30 thanks to a high-class catch by Bradbury.

The next wicket to fall came in the ninth over with Tassell and wicket-keeper Hettie Thorogood combining to remove Nina Jerman for 11.

Bradbury then turned to spin at both ends, starting with Amelie Pettitt’s off spin and then her own leg spin from the other end. The change worked with Bradbury removing Phoebe Biggs for five to make Cambridgeshire 76 for 3 off 11 overs.

Pettitt got into the act taking the wicket of Jess Taylor courtesy of a diving catch on the boundary by Bradbury, leaving Cambridgeshire 99 for 4 off 14 overs.

Suffolk then returned to their seamers and in her first over back opening bowler Izzy Gebhard removed Cambridgeshire’s other opener, Jessica Mccrum, lbw for 43.

Johnson and Tassell then bowled two brilliant overs, restricting Cambridgeshire to just five runs.

Gebhard returned for the 19th over and took the wicket of Isla Ridley, lbw for 7, then Johnson finished the innings with another great over, only conceding four runs to leave Cambridgeshire 132 for 6 off their 20 overs.

Suffolk openers Charlotte Anderson and Bradbury got off to a flying start in their run chase, scoring at 12 runs per over for the first five overs.

The rapid run rate continued until Bradbury was bowled by Abi Davis for 39 with Suffolk then 92 for 1 off only nine overs.

Pettitt came in at No.3 to join Anderson with their partnership adding 18 runs before Anderson was out caught behind off the bowling of Mccrum for a fantastic 53.

Megan Haynes came to the crease with Suffolk at 111 for 2 off 11 overs needing 23 runs to win and hit the winning run off the final ball of the 16th over to guide Suffolk home.

Gebhard and Imogen Grove opened the bowling for Suffolk in game two and Grove, with her first two balls of the second over, removed Jerman lbw for 1 and the very next ball removed Biggs for 0 thanks to a sharp catch from Tassell to leave Cambridgeshire 9 for 2.

Gebhard added to her wicket tally for the day by clean bowling Harding for six. Once Grove and Gebhard were done with three overs each, Cambridgeshire were 35 for 3.

Bradbury brought on Johnson and Tassell with Johnson taking the wicket of Taylor for 17 thanks to a great catch by Thorogood, who had to make up a huge amount of ground, to leave Cambridgeshire 59 for 4 off eight overs.

Bradbury then turned to spin at both ends once again. Bradbury took the wicket of Davis for 27 thanks to a great catch from Johnson and Cambridgeshire were now 76 for 5 off 11 overs.

Bradbury then bowled Ridley for 17 in the 13th over leaving Cambridgeshire 84 for 6 off 13 overs.

No further wickets fell despite the best efforts of Johnson, Grove and Gebhard in the final seven overs and Cambridgeshire closed on 143 for 6 from their 20 overs.

Suffolk got off to a slightly more sedate start with this run chase, scoring at six runs per over until Anderson was bowled by Abi Davis for eight with Suffolk 21 for 1 off three overs.

Thorogood came in at No.3 this time to join Bradbury with their partnership adding 17 runs before Thorogood was bowled by Kaylee Williamson.

Haynes came to the crease with Suffolk in a very different situation compared to the first game at 43 for 2 off seven overs needing 101 runs to win.

Haynes and Bradbury rebuilt the Suffolk innings with a partnership of 74 led by Haynes, who scored 45 of 30 balls. By the time Haynes fell in the 16th over for 45, Suffolk were 112 for 3.

Henrietta Croot then joined Bradbury with Croot maintaining the scoring rate and ending 17 not out off 10 balls. Bradbury, meanwhile, worked her way to a dogged half century, ending 53 not out, as Suffolk won with ten balls to spare.

 

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