Game One

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Captain Cara Duggan's decision appeared to be a wise one, as Bucks Women made a blistering start to their very first Vitality Blast game against Cheshire at Bledlow Village CC.

Tilly Fellows and Annie Townsend wasted no time racking up runs, racing to 48/0 in the first powerplay with nine boundaries in the opening six overs.

Fellows took the partnership past 50 in the seventh over with yet another boundary over the cover fielder.

Holly Batey provided some economy for the visitors with an opening spell of three overs for 15 runs, but the runs continued to flow until Fellows (34) fell at the end of the eighth over — Charlotte Neal taking a smart catch behind the stumps off the bowling of Amy Seddon.

Amelia Peck joined Townsend at the crease, and at the halfway stage, Bucks had reached 78/1 — Peck looking to pick up where she left off against Hertfordshire.

Sadly, it was not to be repeated, as Peck (7) was bowled by Hannah Marshall in her final over, finishing with figures of 1 for 16 from four overs.

Another wicket fell shortly after, as Beth Talbot (5) was bowled by Roshini Prince-Navaratnam in the 14th over, before Caia Stockdale called Townsend (43) through for a single and was consequently run out by a sharp throw from Peyton Hulme.

Stockdale (5) then found herself caught in the same Peyton Hulme over — Cheshire right back in the match with four wickets in three overs, and Bucks slowing to 100/5 from 15 overs.

Duggan and Megs Woodward had other ideas and quickly got Bucks back up to speed, striking 18 runs off the very next over.

Despite some rain during the 17th over, it was a steam train that briefly halted proceedings before Duggan hit the first maximum of the match towards the train tracks.

Woodward continued to push the accelerator and took the home side beyond 150 in lightning-fast fashion — 57 runs and counting just four overs after the previous wicket.

A scintillating sixth-wicket partnership saw Bucks finish their 20 overs on 170/5, with Duggan (38*) and Woodward (23*) putting on a stunning unbeaten 70-run partnership in just 5 overs.

With 171 the target, Charlie Mailey put an early dent in the run chase in her first over, clean bowling opener Emily Murray (1).

However, the visitors did not falter, as the next Mailey over went for 13 runs — Cheshire 21/1 after three overs.

The fourth over brought mixed fortunes for Natasha MacBean, as Stockdale made three attempts at a catch before it fell to the turf — but shortly after, MacBean bowled the dangerous Prince-Navaratnam for 21 runs.

Duggan then joined the bowling attack and made an immediate impact, clean bowling Gaby McKeever (3).

Cheshire were 28/3 after five overs and quickly found themselves four down at the end of the powerplay, with MacBean taking the wicket of Amy Seddon.

Bucks continued to pile on the pressure with wickets, as MacBean claimed her third of the game to close out an impressive spell of 3 for 10 from four overs — Fellows stumping the advancing Grace Mitchell (5), leaving Cheshire 33/5 after eight overs.

With runs hard to come by for the travelling side, Cheshire reached 42/5 at the halfway stage.

The second ball of Molly Carter's spell brought a run-out from a fantastic direct hit by Duggan, reducing Cheshire to 44/6 with nine overs remaining.

Charlotte Neal and Peyton Hulme mounted a firm comeback for Cheshire, their seventh-wicket partnership reaching 38 runs before Megs Woodward dismissed Hulme (14), caught by Duggan.

Amelia Peck conceded just four runs in the 18th over, and the visitors reached 100 in the 19th, leaving themselves needing 66 runs to win off the final over.

Mailey closed the game with her third over, and Bucks Women wrapped up a superb 59-run victory. 

Game Two

'Win the toss and bat first’ was the call once again from Cara Duggan; however, the start of the innings saw Annie Townsend (6) bowled by Hannah Marshall in the second over, and Bucks Women were pegged back to 8/1 early on.

Opener Tilly Fellows took a counterattacking approach, striking back-to-back boundaries in the third over before a maiden over from Marshall.

Marshall could do no wrong for Cheshire, as she then bowled Amelia Peck (7) in her third over and finished her four-over spell with figures of 2 for 11.

Duggan had scored well in Game One and continued her form in Game Two, finding the ropes three times in just 10 balls.

Fellows (21) was the next to fall, bowled by Amy Seddon, as Bucks slipped to 55/3 at the halfway stage.

Economical bowling and tight fielding continued from the visitors, with Seddon and Emily Murray conceding just six runs from their two overs

Duggan's boundary-hitting continued into the 15th over, until Murray trapped the captain LBW for 25 — leaving Bucks 77/4 after 15 overs.

Caia Stockdale and Sky Springett were rotating the strike well but struggled to find the boundary, as the pressure to post a competitive score began to mount.

Bucks then lost two quick wickets to the bowling of Emily Page, with Springett (16) and Stockdale (7) dismissed in the 18th over — Cheshire well on top, and Bucks still short of 100 runs.

With Megs Woodward and Molly Carter both new to the crease, Cheshire continued to restrict boundaries and held Bucks to 101/6 with just one over remaining.

Cheshire sealed an impressive bowling and fielding display with a seventh wicket in the final over — Seddon running out Carter (6).

Megs Woodward finished on 9 not out, and Bucks Women set Cheshire a target of 108 runs to win.

Cheshire needed just under 5.5 runs per over for victory, and they started in ideal fashion — openers Murray and Roshini Prince-Navaratnam reaching 10/0 after the first two overs.

Duggan pressed on with a challenging line and length in her second over and got her reward, bowling Murray for 7.

At the end of the first powerplay, the run rate was level with the required rate, but Cheshire had the upper hand, having lost only one wicket.

Charlie Mailey entered the bowling attack and whilst wickets were not falling, runs were kept to a minimum — Cheshire 35/1 after 8 overs.

At the halfway stage and beyond, the run rate remained around five an over, with Bucks holding Cheshire to 59/1 after 12 overs.

A fine partnership between Mitchell and Prince-Navaratnam proved a thorn in Bucks' side, with Prince-Navaratnam reaching a patient half-century and steering her side towards victory — Cheshire 86/1 after 16 overs.

A steady run chase was maintained throughout, with Cheshire leaving themselves needing 10 runs to win from the final two overs.

Cheshire remained calm, punished the bad balls when necessary, and earned a brilliant nine-wicket victory in Game Two with just four balls to spare.

Captain Cara Duggan reflected on both games - So happy with the first game – the girls absolutely smashed it, and that’s the best I’ve seen them perform. Everything went right.

We just didn’t have the same partnerships and didn’t adapt in the same way as in the first game, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to back it up in the field. But we do have plenty to take into our next T20s.

Bucks will host Cambridgeshire Women in their next set of Vitality Blast T20 matches at Holmer Green CC on Sunday, 29th June (11:00 am and 2:30 pm).