Sussex beat Notts to keep dream alive

Sussex went into their games today knowing that they could catch Middlesex and take the title. It would be a big ask. It would be up to them to beat the teams in front of them. Other results would have to wait. They did just that in the first game of the day as they beat Nottinghamshire by 16 runs at Welbeck.

The recent weather had baked the outfield and the pitch looked true with enough to keep the spinners in the game. Sussex got off to a steady start and were 24 for 1 with two balls of the fifth over left. Paige Scholfield the Sussex opener tried to paddle sweep her Kia Super League teammate Lucy Higham to backward square leg where she was caught.

Sussex lost regular wickets in the middle overs as Nottinghamshire employed the spin of Higham, Jodie Dibble and Kirstie Gordon. Sussex started to falter and when Sophie Munro was introduced to the attack she found some extra bounce to help see off Chiara Green who could only find the extra cover fielder.

It came in the middle of two maiden overs and Sussex can be thankful for the seventh wicket partnership from Tara Norris and Ellan McCaughan of 39 in the closing overs. Norris hit three consecutive fours from the penultimate over.

Georgie Boyce the Nottinghamshire opener was the mainstay of the innings in reply. Nottinghamshire had given themselves too much to do towards the end of the innings. Higham with an innings of 23 from 15 balls gave her side a glimmer of hope before she was caught at point.

It was one of three wickets for Georgia Adams who finished with 3 for 15. She wasn’t the only Sussex bowler to take three wickets as Nancy Harman made it up to her captain after earlier running her out.

Wickets fell towards the inning when Nottinghamshire had no choice but to go for it. They, however, finished 16 runs short to give Sussex the win. Sussex know they need to beat Worcestershire to keep their title hopes alive.