(Cricket news) While chasing 290 for victory, the Dragons smashed down the target with 11 balls remaining, led by an astonishing century by Armstrong, the highest individual score of 163* in Evoke Super Series history surpassing Searle’s who scored 143* in 2022. Armstrong’s sublime innings consisted of 19 fours and a six, in a 134-ball masterclass of batting.
Deliberately scoring runs on the rise throughout her knock, New Zealand-born Armstrong played most of her scoring strokes straight down the wicket, showing confidence in a pitch that looked increasingly batter-friendly as the day went on. Armstrong was supported at the top of the order by Leah Paul (69) in a 166-run opening stand that set the manifesto for the Dragon’s success.
Lately that day after being sent into bat first, Delany came to the wicket when the Typhoons were st at 34-2 in the 9th over. It took a further five overs of conscious and defensive batting before Armstrong and Searle began to hit out. Delany’s half-century came from 61 balls, but her next firing fifty was just within 36 balls.
Striking 17 boundaries during her innings, Armstrong, unfortunately, got out off 127 from 118 balls, Supporting Delany, South African Searle was no less as explosive and comfortable at the crease hitting a patient 73 from 120 balls – the fact she only hit four boundaries a testament to her more measured support role.
After loosing five wickets in the last 40 balls, still they maintained a healthy run rate and finished on 289-7 from their 50 overs. For the Dragons, Arlene Kelly was leading the bowler’s side by taking 4-43 from 10 overs, incredibly one of nine bowlers used by the Dragons. At the halfway stage, the game looked like the Typhoons to lose. Unfortunately for the side in blue, Armstrong saw to that.
MATCH SUMMARY
Typhoons v Dragons, Super 50 Cup, Claremont Road, 18 June 2023
Typhoons 289-7 (50 overs: L Delany 127, R Searle 73; A Kelly 4-43)
Dragons 290-4 (48.1 overs; B Armstrong 163*, L Paul 69; S Forbes 2-34)Dragons won by 6 wickets.
Also read: https://spogonews.com/england-lead-by-35-runs-with-8-wickets-in-hand/
