Ella McCaughan, jo shayad Essex ke bowlers ke sapno mein bhi ab dikhayi degi, ne 60 balls mein 106 run thok diye, aur woh bhi 16 chaukon ke saath! Yeh pehli baar tha jab kisi mahila ne Vitality Blast T20 mein century banayi, aur Essex ke fielders bas dekhte reh gaye jab McCaughan ne unki bowling ko charo taraf uda diya. Charli Knott ne bhi 55 balls mein 72 run banaye, aur dono ne milke 173 run ka record partnership banaya, jo is tournament mein sabse bada hai.
Essex ke fielders ka din toh bilkul kharab tha. McCaughan ko jab 4 run pe tha, tab Lauren Winfield-Hill ne unka catch chhod diya, aur Knott ko bhi do baar mauka diya gaya – ek stumping aur ek catch! Yeh galtiyan itni bhaari padi ki Hampshire ne 20 overs mein 195/2 ka score khada kar diya. Waise, yeh wahi Essex hai jo 2019 mein County Championship jeet chuki hai, lekin aaj kal unka rang roop kuch aur hi dikh raha hai. Unke bowlers, jaise Grace Scrivens aur Esmae MacGregor, ne thodi koshish ki, lekin McCaughan aur Knott ke aage unki ek na chali.
Ab baat karte hain Hampshire ki. Yeh team, jo kabhi kabhi bade teams ke saamne chhoti si lagti hai, ne dikhaya ki unmein dum hai. McCaughan ki batting toh bas shandaar thi – har shot mein ek alag hi confidence dikha. Unki off-side timing aur pull shots ne toh Essex ke bowlers ko bilkul pareshan kar diya. Yaad hai 2019 ka T20 Blast final jab Somerset ne Hampshire ko hara diya tha? Us din Hampshire ke fans ka dil toot gaya tha, lekin aaj McCaughan ne unhe ek naya hero diya. Charli Knott bhi kam nahi thi – unki cover drives aur steady batting ne Hampshire ko ek solid foundation diya. Aur jab baat aayi chase ki, toh Georgia Adams ne apne spin se Essex ke batsmen ko bandh diya, 4 wickets lekar match ko ek tarafa kar diya.
Essex ki batting bhi kuch khaas nahi kar payi. Grace Scrivens aur Lissy McLeod ne shuruaat mein thodi ummeed jagayi, lekin 46/0 ke baad unki innings girti chali gayi. Winfield-Hill 26 balls mein 50 banane ke bawajood out ho gayi, aur Maddie Penna ka bhi jalwa zyada der nahi chala. Hampshire ke bowlers, jaise Daisy Gibb aur Mary Taylor, ne Essex ko 153 run pe rok diya, aur match 42 run se jeet liya. Yeh wahi Hampshire hai jo 2022 mein Vitality Blast mein itna shandaar khela tha, aur aaj bhi unhone apni class dikhayi.
Lekin thodi si baat Essex ke liye bhi. Yeh team, jo kabhi Simon Harmer aur Alastair Cook jaise players ke saath chamakti thi, ab thodi si struggle kar rahi hai. Unke fans ko yaad hoga 2020 ka Bob Willis Trophy final, jab unhone Somerset ko hara diya tha. Lekin ab, jab baat women’s cricket ki aati hai, toh Essex ko apne aap ko dobara se prove karna hoga. McCaughan aur Knott ke aage unki fielding aur bowling dono hi kamzor pad gayi. Shayed agli baar woh thodi aur taiyaari ke saath aaye, kyunki aise toh har match mein unki hi haar ka natak chalta rahega.
