North West Thunder well beaten in Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash at Aigburth

Skipper Alex Hartley lends her bat to her housemate - who smashes a match-winning 92

North West Thunder well beaten in Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash at Aigburth

Anyone who’s lived in shared housing knows the score – you lend something to your housemate and end up regretting it.

North West Thunder skipper Alex Hartley lent her housemate, Alex MacDonald, a bat – and MacDonald used it to hit 92 runs and set up a thumping 83-run win for the Northern Diamonds over Thunder in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Aigburth today.

Hartley should have insisted on a finder’s fee. After being dropped on 0 by Laura Marshall at square leg, MacDonald waged a one-woman war on anything pitched on or around leg stump, accelerating beautifully in a 67-run stand with Hartley’s fellow 2017 World Cup winner Jenny Gunn and then putting the hammer down further as Thunder’s callow side shipped 75 runs from the last 10 overs.

From a perilous 57/4, the visitors finished on 248/8 – more than any side has chased in the tournament so far.

Hartley was clear where the difference in the sides lay – and it wasn’t just in the 2lb 7oz of willow in MacDonald’s hands.

“I would ask for it back, but she’s re-stickered it,” said Hartley.

“That’s the brutality of cricket – you drop a good player like her and she goes on to get 90-odd.

“She and Jenny Gunn put on a fantastic partnership in not much time, taking no risks.”

Thunder had bounded on to the field as one in the morning and began the game with the spring still in their steps.

Alice Dyson had Hollie Armitage caught behind, then produced a grubber to castle Sterre Kallis three balls later – the Dutch international’s third consecutive duck.

Nat Brown yorked Ami Campbell and, when Rachel Hopkins could only prod one to Brown at short cover off the bowing of Laura Jackson, the visitors were in trouble.

But the key partnership was just beginning. Gunn began rotating the strike, and MacDonald overcame her early jitters and found her range.

Gunn was trapped by 16-year-old Liberty Heap but the arrival of the big-hitting Bess Heath only accelerated the scoring.

MacDonald brought up her 50 with one of many sweeps off the bowling of Hartley, then signalled a shift in gears by pulling Hannah Jones for six over mid-wicket.

Hartley persuaded Heath into one big hit too many, then had Beth Langston stumped smartly by Ellie Threlkeld, but the game was running away from Thunder.

MacDonald moved into the 90s with a six over mid-wicket and a four through mid-on off Brown – Laura Jackson snuck one through her defences shortly after, but there was still time for Phoebe Graham to add a few more lusty blows to the total.

If a horrible misfield by Dyson at the end summed up a sloppy effort in the field, so too did the team total of 19 wides.

Thunder’s innings began in similar fashion to their opponents’ - Langston castled Georgie Boyce early, but the two Lauras, Marshall and Jackson, hinted at permanence.

The introduction of Katie Levick changed the game - the leg-spinner had Marshall caught at cover, then trapped Threlkeld with another that kept low.

When Brown feathered behind in the 21st over, Thunder were 69/4; the game was effectively decided in the next 10 overs, as Jackson and Danielle Collins stuck but couldn’t twist.

Thanks to some dilligent infielding and accurate bowling – particularly from Levick, who finished with 3/22 – they managed 26 runs between overs 21-30, and from then on the target was always too far away.

MacDonald broke the partnership by rattling Collins’ timbers, then skipper Armitage exploited the low bounce to remove Rebecca Duckworth LBW.
Jackson survived 91 balls but didn’t hit a boundary until her 85th – not long after, she was bowled by the returning Langston.

Heap showed some intent but was suckered by Armitage’s flight, before Dyson and Hartley combined in a carefree 48-run stand to see the innings to its close.

“We just seemed to be struggling to rotate the strike and keep the run rate at four or five an over,” said Hartley.

“That’s where we need to improve – but we’re a young side and we’ve got something to work on.”

Young indeed – Hartley pointed out the average age of Diamonds players was 27, compared with Thunder’s 20. Jackson’s spell of 2/23 from nine overs was exemplary, as was the Norley Hall player’s occupation of the crease – if she can add more of that sought-after rotation then she’s a prospect.

Sutton’s Brown bowled well until Graham took a shine to her in the death overs, while Rainford’s Threlkeld, completing a trio of Love Lane Liverpool Competition players, kept tidily and batted busily.

Sunday sees them back in action at Aigburth against Loughborough-based Lightning, as Thunder seek their second win of the season, with qualification for the final now beyond them.

“It’s going to be a massive game,” said Hartley. “But for me, it’s all about going out there and enjoying our cricket.

“And if we win or lose the last two games, we’ll just move on to next year.”