Yorkshire Diamonds determined to turn their fortunes around

Alice Davidson-Richards is confident that the Yorkshire Diamonds can turn their season around with a victory over the Southern Vipers today, and reach the Kia Super League Finals Day for the first time.
Yorkshire's Alice Davidson-Richards celebrates taking the wicket of Lancashire's Nicole Bolton.Yorkshire's Alice Davidson-Richards celebrates taking the wicket of Lancashire's Nicole Bolton.
Yorkshire's Alice Davidson-Richards celebrates taking the wicket of Lancashire's Nicole Bolton.

Yorkshire are yet to register their first win of this year’s competition, but Davidson-Richards believes Yorkshire can kick-start their campaign by getting the simple things right.

“I think it’s just going back to basics,” she said. “We’re searching quite a lot for a win, because we really want to, and you can almost try too hard. It’s just bringing it down to the simple things, the basics that have got us all to playing for the Diamonds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It (Finals Day) is the end goal we all want and are working towards as a team. It would mean a lot to us, especially as we have worked really hard the last few years to try and get there and we haven’t quite had the results.”

The Southern Vipers have also had a difficult start to the third edition of the KSL, with just one win to date. The 2016 winners, and last season’s runners-up, have lost their previous three games after opening the tournament with a victory over the Surrey Stars.

With three teams already having three wins under their belts, defeat for either side could leave them with an almost-impossible task of reaching this year’s finals day at Hove.

“They (Southern Vipers) are in a similar position to us, so it would be good to get on top of them and get the ball rolling,” added Davidson-Richards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In a 20-20 tournament it’s all about momentum, as you can see with a couple of the other teams that didn’t necessarily start off with wins and have now started winning, which shows you how quickly the tables can turn.”

Davidson-Richards has been one of the stand-out performers for the struggling Diamonds, taking four wickets in the first two games, and with the T20 World Cup coming later this year, she recognises the importance of the KSL: “It’s really good to learn off the international players; during training you end up chatting about the mindsets, what shots you can play against certain people, and what they pick up and go about it. It’s nice being on their side for once, but it’s just enjoyable picking up everything off them.”

Yorkshire host the Southern Vipers at Clifton Park, York, from 2.30pm.