A half-century from Ella Porter wasn’t enough to hand Nottinghamshire victory against Derbyshire in the Girls U18 County One Day Cup as the visitors triumphed by four wickets chasing 185 at Keyworth Cricket Club.
Porter, who made 77* against Lincolnshire in June, continued her fine run of form with an innings worth 56, but a lack of alternative contributions told as wickets punctuated the Green and Golds’ innings, Rhiannon Knowling-Davies and Molly Greasby the only other batters to get beyond twenty.
But a spirited performance with the ball, including an economical display from Knowling-Davies and Libby Mae Armitage, and two wickets apiece for Sadie Hodgson and Eloise Della-Spina, took the game down to the wire. Derbyshire ultimately claimed the win with 11 balls of their 40 overs to spare.
After Notts were inserted by their East Midlands neighbours, Porter, batting at three, was soon into the action, and watching on as wickets fell around her. A nine-over partnership with Hodgson, worth 38, was the highlight of the opening blows for Notts who, at the halfway point, were teetering on 91 for four.
A rebuilding job with captain Knowling-Davies brought the Green and Golds back into the contest, although free-scoring was off the agenda, with both batters struggling to find the rope.
When Jessica Thatcher caught Porter in the 31st over after an 83-ball stay, it sparked something of a collapse for Notts who, after losing Knowling-Davies for 24 an over later, went from 143 for four to 170 for nine, with Greasby watching on from the non striker’s end as four wickets fell.
A final flourish with Sophie Mihill for company took the hosts to their total, Greasby carrying her bat for her 24-ball 26.
A century stand between Lara Shaw and Lily Dalkin-Strube, broken only in the 21st over when Shaw was caught by Knowing-Davies for 64, gave Derbyshire a head of steam in pursuit of their target, before a four-over squeeze brought a second wicket for Notts, and first for Hodgson, for the addition of just six runs.
As the away side closed in on the runs required, Porter became the architect of Notts’ third wicket, Alicia Shaw run out by the wicketkeeper. Hodgson snared her second two balls later when she bowled Katie Januszewska to reduce Derbyshire to 146 for four.
An undisturbed 27-run fifth-wicket partnership took the visitors within touching distance before Della-Spina struck twice in two balls, bowling Jessia Smithurst for 27 and trapping Jessica Thatcher lbw.
Cool heads, however, prevailed as Derbyshire eased past their target with the first ball of the penultimate over.