Young Surrey XI gives England Women stern test

23 May 2009

A Surrey Representative XI provided a more than testing day for the England Women's XI as they helped them prepare for the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20.

The match was arranged after Pemberton Greenish Academy director Gareth Townsend was approached by Claire Connor earlier this year to play a 20/20 warm up match at Dulwich College.

Choosing a side picked from Surrey's County Age Group sides from U14 to U18 level, the Rep XI posted a more than respectable 126 from their allotted overs. It could have been 20 more had it not been for a combination of good spin bowling in the middle of their innings and some batting described by Townsend as 'circumspect'.

However, in reply, Surrey fielded extremely well and spinners Joshua Howe, Munhunthan Harinath and Adam Dyson bowled tightly as the England Women struggled to keep up with the rate or maintain any momentum in their innings, eventually being dismissed for 85, losing by 41 runs with the top scorer being Surrey's Ebony Rainford-Brent who scored 25.

The PG Academy are next in action against Huntingdonshire and Essex in friendlies next week, whilst the Surrey Women take on Kent at Redoubtables CC tomorrow (Sunday May 24th), starting at 11am.