Netherlands won gold in historic women’s series hosted on the Rock

Gibraltar women’s cricket took a small but significant step as it hosted the first ever European Cricket League Women’s Cricket Series on the Rock.
Although there had been little expectation for Gibraltar to perform at a level that would compete against the more experienced sides such as Netherlands, Italy and Sweden. Gibraltar women were provided with the unique opportunity to experience high level cricket on their own turf in a competition which was broadcast on livestream across the European Cricket Network.
Gibraltar was to walk away with six defeats. The first coming against Italy on the first day of play with Italy winning by 109 runs. A ten wicket defeat against Sweden was followed by an eight wicket defeat against the Netherlands and a further 58 run defeat against Italy.
Gibraltar was then to lose by 78 runs against Sweden with their final match seeing them defeated by ten wickets by the Netherlands.
The latter was to come away as the eventual winners. Having topped the table with Italy as runners up, the final was to see the two facing each other in the final.
The Netherlands who had won their previous two matches against Italy by 21 runs in the first one and seven wickets in the second group match was to walk away with a 62 run victory in the final.
Sweden who had also beaten Gibraltar twice earlier walked away with brinze beating Gibraltar in the bronze final by 59 runs.
The experience gained by Gibraltar women’s cricket was however, of greater significance to local cricket than the results, exposing the women’s game at an international stage at a time it continues to see growing numbers attracted.
(All results and data sourced from European Cricket Network. Full scoresheets available at ECN online.)