Stars miss out on record chase as Dunkley confirms return to form

Northern Diamonds edged South East Stars by three runs in a final over thriller in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Beckenham, despite a stunning century from Sophia Dunkley.

Dunkley, who was left out of the England squad to face Pakistan in a bid to find form in domestic cricket, did just that, hitting 130 off 136 balls.

But she was run out by bowler Erin Burns in an excruciatingly tense final over, having inexplicably failed to put her bat down after a single from the fourth delivery.

Bethan Miles then failed to hit a boundary off the final delivery as the Stars fell agonisingly short of what would have been a List A world record run chase.

Earlier, Hollie Armitage (66), Bess Heath (63), and Sterre Kalis (52) hit half-centuries but a spell of three wickets for three runs in six balls from Phoebe Franklin restricted the Diamonds to 311 for 9.

The visitors opted to bat on a typical Beckenham track and despite the early loss of Lauren Winfield-Hill, bowled by Tash Farrant for 19, they built an ominous platform. The first five wickets were all put together in big partnerships, taking advantage of a Stars attack weakened by the loss of Alice Davidson-Richards, who went off injured after bowling two overs.

Armitage and Emma Marlow put on 65 for the second wicket before the latter was brilliantly run out for 32 by a direct hit from Miles. Kalea Moore then had Armitage caught by Bryony Smith before Danni Gregory bowled Burns for 23 in the last over of her spell.

A stand of 63 between Heath and Kalis was broken when the former was stumped by Chloe Hill off Miles, but Diamonds then sputtered. Leah Dobson was the first of Franklin's victims when she went for six and was caught by sub-fielder Claudie Cooper.

Kalis was caught at the boundary by Dunkley off Franklin's next delivery and Phoebe Turner followed in almost identical fashion when she holed out off the last ball of the over.

When Sophia Turner was caught by Aylish Cranstone off Stonehouse for 4, the Diamonds were 290 for 9, but an aggressive unbeaten 23 from Jess Woolston, including a huge six off Stonehouse, took them past the 300 mark.

Stars suffered an early blow when Farrant was on 7, the victim of a sharp diving catch by Dobson off Woolston, and Smith was on 19 when she got a leading edge to Phoebe Turner and was caught by Burns.

Dunkley and Stonehouse steadied the innings with a stand of 52, but the latter was caught behind off Sophia Turner for 21, the victim of a smart take from Heath, who was standing up to the stumps.

Phoebe Franklin made 24 at a run-a-ball but fell in Armitage's first over, sliced to Woolston at backward point. Hill looked useful until she was caught by Kalis off Sophia Turner for 23, but as the run rate increased, Cranstone's 41 brought the Stars back into the contest with some calculated aggression that produced the Stars' highest ever sixth wicket partnership.

When Dunkley reached three figures with a single off Sophia Turner, the score was back in the balance, but Cranstone fell in the 46th over, chipping Burns to Armitage, and Davidson-Richards was forced to bat with Farrant as a runner. Turner's 47th over fell for just four, leaving the Stars needing 33 from their last 18 balls.

The equation swung back in the Diamonds' favour when Heath stumped Davidson-Richards off Katie Levick for 2. Moore hit the first ball of the penultimate over, bowled by Sophia Turner, for four, took a bye of the next, and watched as Dunkley smashed a six over long on. The next went for four and two singles left the Stars needing 11 from the final over.

Burns limited them to singles off the first three balls and then ran out Dunkley after she failed to get her bat down after apparently giving up on a second run. Moore hit the fifth ball for three, leaving Miles needing four off the final delivery, but she was caught at cow corner by Sophia Turner to end an exciting contest.