On Friday, five Sunrisers stars were part of the England Development Eleven, who faced New Zealand Women at Leicestershire’s Upton Steel County Ground.
Eva Gray, Jodi Grewcock, Grace Scrivens, and Mady Villiers all featured in the contest, alongside Sophie Munro who has spent the last month on loan at Sunrisers. The match acted as preparation for the White Ferns ahead of their upcoming Metro Bank ODI series against England Women, which starts on Wednesday.
New Zealand batted first, and posted 274/5 in their fifty overs. Villiers bowled superbly, going for 33 runs from her ten overs, whilst also taking the wicket of opening batter Georgia Plimmer.
Munro also completed ten overs, and Grewcock bowled an over against the strong New Zealand side. All four catches were taken by Sunrisers players, with Grewcock holding on to two, Munro one, and Villiers taking a catch and a run out off her own bowling.
With the bat, Scrivens opened with Thunder’s Emma Lamb, hitting 32 before being caught and bowled by Amelia Kerr off a leading edge.
Villiers had been dismissed earlier in the same Kerr over for a quick fire 25, which included three fours and a six. Grewcock (5) had earlier edged seamer Hannah Rowe through to the keeper.
Gray and Munro then posted a stand of 75 together for the ninth wicket, coming from just nine overs in an entertaining partnership. Gray eventually fell for 43, also finding a leading edge off A Kerr. With Lauren Filer out five balls later, Munro was left on 35* from 30 balls, hitting five fours, as the Development Eleven reached 230.
Click here to view the scorecard.
Sunrisers are back in fifty over action on Sunday, when Thunder visit Chelmsford for the first of four matches in this next block of cricket, with Sparks travelling to Radlett the week after.
Tickets are on sale online, priced at £10 for adults and £5 for U18, whilst entry is free for all Essex, Middlesex, and Northamptonshire members.