Bath Wanderers 1st XI made it five wins from five outings in the West of England Premier Cricket League Women’s Premier Division by crushing bottom side Cheltenham on Sunday 27th July.
Bath Wanderers 1st XI will play Gunnersbury on Sunday 3rd August
The Wanderers powered to victory by 139 runs, taking them to 100 points for the season and leaving them 17 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on second-placed Devizes.
Bath’s success was built on a tremendous first-wicket stand between Genevieve Donaldson and Katie Dolman that produced 177 runs.
The hosts decided to bat, and openers Donaldson and Dolman tore into the Cheltenham attack.
They were separated after 27.3 overs, when Dolman was bowled by Georgia Atkinson for 84. Dolman’s knock spanned 81 balls and included 11 fours.
Skipper Charlotte Phillips fell for 2 and Donaldson then departed after 30.2 overs to leave Bath 188-3.
Donaldson, who was caught off Grace Blazey, faced 94 deliveries in crafting 82, with 11 boundaries.
Further wickets tumbled at regular intervals and the Wanderers closed on 247-7 off their 40 overs, number six Chloe Micklethwaite hitting a six and four boundaries in her 25 from 16 balls.
Atkinson was Cheltenham’s most successful bowler, picking up 3-48 in eight overs.
Two wickets from Connie Osborn and one from Katie Hartwright reduced the visitors to 28-3 in reply.
Lucia Carini (23) and Xanthe Bolam (8) held up Bath for more than 11 overs by sharing a fourth-wicket stand that brought 35 runs.
But extras (30) proved the leading scorer for Cheltenham, who were short-handed as Eve Powell was unable to bat.
The guests were dismissed for 108 in 33.4 overs, Micklethwaite bagging 3-30 from 6.4 overs, Lily Day snapping up 2-14 off eight overs and Osborn returning 2-17 in six overs.
The Wanderers will play their ECB Women’s Club Cup T20 national semi-final at neutral Basingstoke & North Hants CC on Sunday 3rd August.
Bath will take on Gunnersbury, from North London.
The other last-four tie, at Denby CC in West Yorkshire, sees North Yorkshire’s Sessay play Suffolk’s Copdock & Old Ipswichian.
The final will be played at the picturesque Wormsley ground – commissioned by the late Sir Paul Getty on his estate in Buckinghamshire – on Sunday 17th August.
