Image: Luke Stafford, Sports Shots

Zaynah Wani starred with an incredible six-wicket haul for Bucks Women as they successfully defended 152 against Wiltshire on Sunday in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Wiltshire won the toss and elected to bowl. Afra Rose Mohamed and Molly Carter opened the batting, but Carter (1) was undone by Sophie Granger, bringing Megs Woodward to the crease for her first Bucks outing of the season.

Woodward played nicely, punishing the bad balls, and made her way to 21 before finding mid-on with a lofted shot, leaving Bucks Women 46/2 after 10 overs.

Mohamed pushed on alongside Cara Duggan, and the pair took Bucks past three figures before Duggan and Carys Gerber both fell in the 20th over, leaving the hosts 104/4.

Mohamed was bowled shortly afterwards for a brilliant 63 from 73 balls, and Bucks looked to be in big trouble as they collapsed from 113/4 to 124/9 in a matter of overs.

With their backs against the wall, Charlie Mailey and Tash MacBean dug in and put together what proved to be a match-defining 10th-wicket partnership of 28.

MacBean (8) was the final wicket to fall for Bucks, while Mailey finished 13 not out to take her side to 152 all out from 37 overs.

With a relatively low target to defend, the bowling effort had to be special, and special it was from Wani.

Katie Dolman (5) and Isla Thomson (6) were both dismissed by debutant Katie Wolfe, but opener Emma Godman guided her side to the halfway mark in the run chase.

That was until Wani beat Godman's bat and dismissed the opener for 35.

From there, a flurry of wickets from spinners Wani, Eva Lewis and MacBean reduced Wiltshire to 119/8, leaving the visitors needing another 34 runs to win.

Jemima Carroll played brilliantly for 23 and brought the travelling side within 18 runs before MacBean claimed a caught and bowled.

With 17 runs still needed, Wani wrapped up her stellar bowling performance with her sixth and final wicket, sealing a fantastic win for Bucks Women at High Wycombe CC.

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