Image: Luke Stafford, Sports Shots

Bucks Women fought hard to secure a tie in a sensational match against Cheshire on Sunday, which saw nearly 700 runs scored in Metro Bank One Day Cup action.

Cheshire won the toss and elected to bat, and Leicestershire loanee Lucy Western was the standout performer for the visitors. She came to the crease in just the fifth over and finished her innings unbeaten on 193.

On a flat Wycombe wicket, with the heat beating down on the outfield, Bucks Women were up against it throughout the full 50-over allocation after being asked to bowl first.

Tash MacBean was the pick of the bowlers. Her 10-over spell went for just 29 runs and she claimed two wickets, helping to keep the score from surpassing 350.

Partnerships came and went for Cheshire throughout the innings, but Western never let up during her 137-ball knock, smashing her side to a formidable 339 with 31 boundaries.

With Bucks facing a daunting target, openers Molly Carter and Annie Townsend provided the perfect counter-attack as they put on a brilliant 87-run first-wicket partnership. Amelie Bishop then contributed a fantastic 63 from just 39 balls after Townsend fell just five runs short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century.

Bishop's innings, which included 11 boundaries, came to an end and brought captain Cara Duggan to the crease, who continued to press on alongside Carter. The pair steered their side to 249 before Duggan became the next batter to fall for 26, with 13 overs still remaining.

Carter sadly fell short of her maiden Bucks Women century after she was dismissed for a brilliant 91 from 135 balls, finding the boundary on 13 occasions.

After a quick flurry of wickets, Bucks' hopes of victory rested with Carys Gerber, whose gritty knock of 36 from 35 balls was superb. With the support of MacBean, the pair scored 23 runs from the final three overs but fell just one run short of victory, with two needed from the last ball.

It was a fantastic game and a superb advert for women's cricket, with the match fittingly ending in a tie.

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