Two sensational wins in consecutive days at Fowlmere saw Thriplow u15 girls become regional champions in the Lady Taverners T20 Cup and reach the national finals, a first for the club.

 On a cool damp Saturday morning, semi-final visitors Hayes won the toss and asked Thriplow to bat, no doubt hoping to replicate the same fixture (one round earlier) in 2016 when Thriplow were skittled for 20.  Bella Howarth and Bea Routledge started carefully against some exceptionally fast opening bowling before Routledge was bowled by Kent opener Gorham.  Jess Olorenshaw then joined Howarth and they progressed steadily, finding things increasingly easier against the change bowlers. Taking drinks at 78-1 at the half way point, the direction of the innings was in the balance but, hitting powerfully and occasionally riding their luck the Essex pair took the score to 142 when Olorenshaw was stumped and Howarth followed soon after. Isabella James and May Busher ran hard in the last few overs and Thriplow finished on 154, a very competitive 8 a side score on a long boundary with fairly slow outfield.

 Declining a half time drink in favour of a behind closed doors team talk, the Kent team emerged determined not to let Thriplow derail their hopes of reaching a fourth successive national finals day. However Daffs opening bowler Nikki Chahal had other plans, grabbing a return catch off Sai in the first over, and then Routledge found the outside edge and both openers were gone.  Hayes found themselves struggling on 25-2 off six and there was no respite as the Thriplow skipper Alex Pitchford brought herself on and tested the batsmen with quick away swingers, bowling the dangerous Gorham and then taking two wickets in two balls in her second over. When Megan Ramsey snapped up a catch off the bowling of leg spinner Isabella James, Hayes had been bundled out for 41 (Pitchford 3 for 3) and TCC had brought off a remarkable win.

 Thriplow were now in the regional final of the u15 competition for the first time but had no time for their success to sink in as the final at home to Tunbridge Wells had been prearranged for the following morning. Groundsman Ken was informed of the cancellation of his Sunday lie-in and his arrival for rolling and pitch marking was greeted by warm sunshine and, following a lengthy briefing with the ECB appointed umpires, Pitchford had no hesitation in batting first after the Wells skipper called incorrectly.  However, it was Wells who started brightly, full of confidence after overcoming Thriplow in the u13s competition last year. Howarth survived a chance caught behind in the first over, and after opening the scoring with an elegant cover drive for three Busher was yorked first ball of the third and the home team were in some trouble at 3-1. Olorenshaw settled the nerves after taking a two and a four off a couple of overpitched deliveries and gradually Thriplow steadied, reaching 30-1 off 6.

 But the next 50 minutes were something special. The gathering Fowlmere crowd stood captivated as Olorenshaw, well supported by Howarth, took the Wells attack apart. With pinpoint timing and blistering bat speed, she raced through the milestones, 50 off 23 balls and her century off just 44. With the bowling understandably losing its shape under the onslaught, both players took full advantage and, perhaps tiring a little near the end, took the total to a gargantuan 244-1, with Howarth ending on 65 and Olorenshaw 149 not out – the highest individual score in the competition since records began in 2013.

 In reply Tunbridge’s prospects looked bleak but after a half time discussion probably more trauma therapy than team talk they started solidly, reaching 30 before Pitchford ran out their opening bat with an accurate throw from the deep. The required rate had climbed over 15 when James and Pitchford took quick wickets to eliminate any lingering doubt about the result. Wells continued to bat with determination but with Busher and Ramsey energetically patrolling the long boundary, they found fours hard to come by and finished all out for 126, with James the leading bowler taking 3 for 34.