The MCC Women’s tour of the USA and Canada began with three wins in T20 games against USA select teams. Last Saturday (September 10, 2016). The tourists now move to the Toronto area where four games are due to be played.
MCC Women beat USA Red by 18 runs and followed with an afternoon 86-run win against USA Blue. Both Saturday games were played at Evansburg Cricket Ground, Philadelphia.
On Sunday (September 11, 2016) MCC Women beat USA Women by 5 wickets with 3 balls to spare at the historic Merion Cricket Club. Sindhu Sriharsha (24) and Sinhuja Reddy (20) lead the US batting, which closed on 71 all out from 20 overs. Opening bat Emma Godman made 23 before being caught and bowled to leave the tourists on 52/4. Godman and Raveena Lakhtaria had added 33 for the 4th wicket. Lakhtaria went on to make 17* in a game where runs do not seem to have flowed freely.
Opening bat Charlotte Edwards scored 52, then retired, in MCC’s Saturday morning game against USA Red. Emma Godman (27) shared an opening stand of 105 with Edwards. Nadian Gruny’s 51* provided a solid base in the USA Reds innings and she received support from Shebani Bhaskhar (23), Sugetha Chandhraseka (17) and Onika Wallerson (12). But MCC bowlers and fielders did enough to secure victory.
The Saturday afternoon game began with a stand of 71 for MCC’s first wicket and runs continued to flow quite freely. MCC had posted 159/2 on the scoreboard by the end of 20 overs. Opener Aylish Cranstone lead with 42, Emma Elsom notched 24 and the two not out batters each reached individual thirties. Claire Taylor was 35* and Nicole Richards 30* at close of innings. Four MCC bowlers then conceded 4 runs per over or less as USA Blues replied with 73/6 from 20 overs. Judy Wilmot, the tourist’s player/manager, took 1 wicket for just 5 runs from 4 overs. Marilyn Smith took 1 wicket for 9 runs from 4 overs. Three US players reached double-figures. Sindhuja Reddy top-scored with 13 from the bat, extras provided 21 runs.
MCC Women are due to begin the Canadian phase of this tour on Wednesday morning at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club (Toronto CSCC) on Wilson Avenue, Toronto against CanAM United. A 50-over game against Canada Select XI follows on Thursday at the Toronto CSCC. Two more games are due to be played on Saturday (at the Niagara Cricket Centre) and Sunday (TBA).
Charlotte Edwards and Claire Taylor have each been named as one of Wisden’s “Cricketers of the Year” and each has won the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award.
Claire Taylor played 15 tests, 126 ODIs and 27 T20 internationals for England before retiring from the international scene in July 2011. Her top scores in international cricket were 177 in tests, 156* in ODIs and 76* in T20Is. In 2009 Claire Taylor named as one of Wisden’s “Cricketers of the Year” and was also named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.
Charlotte Edwards won the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award in 2008 and was named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2014. She has played 23 tests, 191 ODIs and 95 T20Is for England. Charlotte Edwards’ top score in tests is 117, she has a top score in ODIs of 173* and her best in T20Is is 92*.
The MCC touring squad includes a number of young players with county and club experience in addition to these two highly experienced international players.
Eddie Norfolk