Captain pays tribute to collective effort as Waringstown breeze past Holywood to net Women's Senior Challenge Cup

Belfast Telegraph

4 days ago

The Irish international got her side back on track after they lost the wickets of Amy Caulfield and Charlotte Lyons inside the first eight balls of the game after electing to bat first on winning the toss.
Murray counter-attacked, hitting six boundaries in a thrilling 43 from just 31 balls, adding 65 in nine overs for the third wicket with Abbi Harrison (20).
The game swung again when the duo and Naomi Matthews fell in quick succession to leave the contest evenly poised at 102 for five.
Skipper Sophie Hinds was then joined in the middle by Kiwi Abigaile Gerken, and the pair shared a match-defining partnership of 100 from only 75 balls as the total went over 200 and beyond.
Gerken top-scored with 45 (five fours), while Hinds also missed out on a half-century, hitting seven boundaries in a fluent 34-ball 42.
Holywood didn't help their cause with an erratic bowling effort that saw them concede 53 extras – 28 of them wides and no-balls – as well as nine penalty runs for a slow over rate.
Nina Kerr picked up four wickets, but a total of 240 for seven – a Final record – was always going to be an uphill battle for the Seapark side.
Madison Landsman did her best to keep Holywood in contention, dominating an opening stand of 51 with Eva Cupitt (six).
Irish international Lara Maritz struck a few lusty blows, but when she sliced Lyons to third man for 16, Holywood's chances diminished severely.
Landsman, a South African-born Netherlands international, went on top-score with an even-time 59 (five fours), but her dismissal saw the game come to a rapid conclusion with Holywood losing seven wickets for just 20 runs – all out for 115 in 26 overs.
Murray claimed four wickets to make the Player of the Match award a formality, while former skipper Lyons claimed three scalps and young left-arm spinner Penny Speer two.
'We've been pretty confident batting first this season, so I had no hesitation in batting first,' said Hinds after the match.
'I looked at our team and saw that they could bat right down the order. The fact that the Cup is 30 overs meant we prepared a little differently, but a lot of our squad is used to longer matches with representative sides.
'The ground was in great shape today, super job from the ground staff, and 240 was a really brilliant effort from the team.'
Captain Hinds paid tribute to all her team, especially the impact of the return of Murray from international commitments that meant they were at full strength for the clash.
'It was certainly great to have Cara back in the side along with Abbi Harrison and also Abigaile Gerken, who has come over from New Zealand. They gave us real quality and depth and we showed today just what we can do,' she said.
The teams are also battling for the Premiership title, and leaders Waringstown will have the chance to complete the double when they meet at second-placed Holywood in two weeks' time.