Nottinghamshire fell to a pair of defeats against Lancashire and Northern Representative Team in their opening Vitality Women’s T20 fixtures of the season, despite some success with the ball at Northern Cricket Club, Crosby.
Former England International Alex Hartley provided the pick of the bowlers for Lancashire in the Green and Golds’ first clash, the spinner collecting 4-5 from four overs to leave Notts 49 runs short of the 99 set by the Red Rose.
Captain Teresa Graves and Yvonne Graves had offered a showing of resistance with 11 and 10 respectively, before Hartley, who was particularly well supported by Olivia Brown (2-7 off four), began her work.
Earlier, having won the toss and elected to field, Teresa Graves, Evee-Mae Hicklin and Sadie Hodgson took two wickets apiece to restrict Lancashire to double figures, the visitors rallying after an opening stand of 51 set Lancashire on course for a sizeable score.
Hodgson, in particular, bowled with control to concede just 13 runs from her four overs in her first competitive outing in the senior side.
In their second outing, an impressive opening spell from North Rep Team’s Summer Carrington reduced Notts to 17-3, despite a two boundary 10-run contribution from Y Graves.
A 23-run fourth wicket partnership hoisted the Green and Golds to 40-4 before another smattering of wickets arrived, one each in the 11th, 13th and 14th as Sophie Munro (9), Eleanor Owen (12) and Annie Williams (9) all departed
Late contributions from Amelia Kite (11) and Knowling-Davies (18) left Notts defending 89.
In reply, a second over wicket from Munro gave the away side hopes of a heist, but an assured unbeaten 46 from Rebecca Duckworth guided the Northern Representative Team to an eight-wicket win, Hodgson claiming the only other wicket.
The scorecards from the game can be seen here…