Women's cricket - Jersey Women’s Tour of Gibraltar, 2024: Match Summary

The Jersey Women’s cricket team showcased their dominance in the two-match T20I series against Gibraltar Women, securing victories in both encounters held at the Europa Sports Complex in Gibraltar on December 15 and 16, 2024. This an opportunity for Gibraltar women’s cricket to get a tough challenge before them as they seek to attract further teams to play in Gibraltar in the future.

1st T20I: Jersey Women Win by 8 Wickets
Date: December 15, 2024
Venue: Europa Sports Complex, Gibraltar

Jersey Women cruised to an 8-wicket victory in the opening match of the series, demonstrating their superior form with both bat and ball.

Gibraltar Women’s Innings
Opting to bat first, Gibraltar struggled to find momentum, managing just 60 runs for 7 wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Amy Benatar (11 off 29) and Christine McNally (18 off 51) were the top scorers, but their slow scoring rate highlighted Jersey’s tight bowling. Grace Wetherall (2/9) and Chloe Greechan (2/2) were instrumental in dismantling Gibraltar’s batting lineup.

Key Batting Contributions:

Christine McNally: 18 (51 balls)
Amy Benatar: 11 (29 balls)

Key Bowling Performances:

Chloe Greechan: 4-2-2-2
Grace Wetherall: 4-0-9-2
Jersey Women’s Innings
Chasing a modest target, Jersey reached 61/2 in just 8.3 overs. Analise Merritt (17*) and Aimee Aikenhead (18) provided a solid start, with the target achieved comfortably.

Key Batting Contributions:

Analise Merritt: 17* (21 balls)
Aimee Aikenhead: 18 (20 balls)
Result: Jersey Women won by 8 wickets.

2nd T20I: Jersey Women Win by 9 Wickets
Date: December 16, 2024
Venue: Europa Sports Complex, Gibraltar

The second match saw Jersey Women secure an even more commanding 9-wicket victory, sweeping the series 2-0.

Gibraltar Women’s Innings
After being put in to bat, Gibraltar managed 72 runs in 17.5 overs, with Noelle Laguea (26 off 25) leading the charge. However, regular wickets and a disciplined bowling performance by Jersey restricted Gibraltar from building partnerships. Chloe Greechan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/6 in her 3 overs.

Key Batting Contributions:

Noelle Laguea: 26 (25 balls)
Rosaleen Reilly: 6 (6 balls)

Key Bowling Performances:

Chloe Greechan: 3-0-6-1
Georgia Mallett: 3-0-13-2

Jersey Women’s Innings
Jersey chased down the target of 73 runs in just 6.3 overs, powered by a blistering 26* off 17 balls from Analise Merritt. Despite losing Aimee Aikenhead (19 off 21) early, Jersey’s batting proved too strong for Gibraltar’s bowling attack.

Key Batting Contributions:

Analise Merritt: 26* (17 balls)
Aimee Aikenhead: 19 (21 balls)
Result: Jersey Women won by 9 wickets.

Series Highlights
Jersey’s Bowling Dominance: Chloe Greechan led from the front with exceptional bowling performances in both matches, restricting Gibraltar to below-par totals.
Gibraltar’s Struggles with the Bat: Gibraltar’s inability to form partnerships and counter Jersey’s disciplined bowling proved to be their downfall.
Analise Merritt’s Consistency: Merritt’s contributions with the bat in both matches were crucial in ensuring Jersey’s comfortable chases.

Series Summary
Jersey Women dominated the series, winning both matches decisively. Their well-rounded performances with bat and ball underscored their superiority, while Gibraltar will need to regroup and work on their batting to compete effectively in future contests.
There were positives for Gibraltar women’s cricket who have little in way of matches with the preparations having gone well and the team achieving their objectives on the day.

Player of the Series: Chloe Greechan, for her outstanding all-around performance in both matches.

(as published on the 23rd December 2024)