Wildcats travel to Worcestershire
Half-centuries for Catherine Smaill and Sam Haggo were not enough for the Wildcats to avoid relegation last weekend (17 & 18 Septmber) losing by 9 wickets and 194 runs in their final two games against Worcestershire Women.
The Scottish Wildcats travelled to Worcestershire needing two wins from their two games against the county to retain Division Three status in the LV= Women’s County Championships.
In the first game Worcestershire captain, Coral Handley, won the toss and put a young Wildcats team into bat. The new opening pair of Catherine Smaill and Priyanaz Chatterji made a solid start until Chatterji’s was bowled by Charlotte Holtom in the 16th over with the score on 44. Kathryn White and Bryce came and went scoring one run each bringing 18-year-old Sam Haggo to the crease.
Smaill reached her second international fifty in 100 balls but was soon dismissed on 55, a partnership of 36 with Haggo. With Diane Pedgrift run out without facing, Haggo was joined at the crease with number seven Rebecca Waldie. Her stubborn innings of 11 from 26 balls saw Haggo pass her maiden international fifty and compile a partnership of 48.
Number 9, Lorna Jack played a mature, undefeated innings of 8 at a run a ball, added 20 to the score with Haggo. Fiona Campbell’s single totalled the Scotland innings at 171 from 50 overs.
Worcestershire’s run chase got off to a shaky start with Rogers being run out by Priyanaz Chatterji at point for 0 in the third over. The Wildcats progress was soon hampered when a thunderstorm stopped play. Play resumed 85 mintues later with the target reduced to 127 from 37 overs. The pairing of Naomi Heywood (67*) and Charlotte Holtom (49*) made light work of the chase as the home side powered to victory in 19.4 overs- winning by 9 wickets.
Day two, game two, Wildcats captain Abbi Aitken won the toss and chose to field. Scotland started promisingly with only two singles conceded in the first two overs. However, Naomi Heywood continued in the same attacking manner as the day before until Kathryn White bowled her for 24. Worcestershire found themselves reduced to 45-2 when Thea Brooks was also out bowled by White for 19.
It was however an impressive fielding display, in particular, Lorna Jack with two run outs wasn’t enough to stem the torrent of Worcestershire runs thanks to some wayward Scottish bowling, going on to the total of 280-9 from 50 overs. The pick of the Scotland bowlers was Sam Haggo with figures of 10-1-31-1.
With a challenging run chase of 281, the Wildcats had to go one better on the previous day’s performance. Unfortunately, wickets fell at regular intervals with the Wildcats eventually skittled out for 86 with only two batters with scores in double figures; White 19 and Waldie 10.
These two defeats meant that relegation was confirmed as the Wildcats lost to Worcestershire Women by 194 runs.
Divison Four now awaits the Wildcats, who will regroup over the winter months and push for promotion back to Division Three in 2012.
