Day 2 of the three match series saw two games scheduled at CSNI CC after yesterday's NCU win at Dunmurry.
Analise Merritt with an unbeaten 34 carried the visiting Jersey Women’s side to victory in the morning match, tying up the three match series at one win apiece.
Another close finish, Jersey getting home by 5 wickets with 5 balls to spare to set things up perfectly for the decider in the afternoon.
Runs for Analise Merritt
The NCU innings was anchored by Sarah Rountree who finished 40*, sharing an eighth wicket partnership with Emma McMurray who made 23,* as the home side totalled 105 for the loss of 7 wickets in their 20 allotted overs.
Player of the Match Analise Merritt shared identical bowling figures, 2-14, with with her captain Chloe Greechan while Erin Gouge took 1-20.
In the Jersey reply there was redemption for Charlie Miles who was dismissed off the first ball of the innings yesterday as she scored 18 before Grace Wetherall made 17* in the winning unbroken sixth wicket partnership with Merritt.
Simon Johnston presents award to Analise Merritt
In the deciding third match of the series Jersey were asked to bat first for the first time and again Miles was in scoring mood.
She had reached 31 before Natasha Morton’s first delivery spun past her defence to claim the first of her four wickets.
Yesterday’s top scorer Lily Greig was also in fine form scoring an excellent 34.
Wickets fell towards the end of the innings as Jersey pushed for runs, Charlotte Lyons picking up 2-15 while Morton’s four wickets cost only 22 runs, Jersey posting the highest total of the series with 121 for the loss of 7 wickets.
The NCU chase was perfectly paced by openers Amy Caulfield and Sophie Thomas, with a mid innings 10 over total of 45 the platform was set and both batters upped the scoring rate.
Jersey will rue missed chances, indeed each batter was dropped twice, and they will reflect on what might have been if those catches had been taken.
In the event the NCU chased down their target with 7 balls to spare, skipper Caulfield completing a half century and finishing with 63* off 62 balls (9x4, 1x6) while Thomas ended 45* off 41 (6x4).
Simon Johnston presents Player of the Match award to Amy Caulfield
A 2-1 win for the NCU in what has been a closely fought series. What reads like a comprehensive win in the deciding match was in fact much closer than that, and the result was in doubt going into the last few overs when the asking rate was up at six an over.
Northern Knights Head Coach Simon Johnston named NCU captain Amy Caulfield as Player of the Match, her second award in the three game series.
T20 Match 2 - NCU Women v Jersey Women CSNI CC, Stormont, 1 September.
Jersey Women won by 5 wickets
NCU Women 105/7 (20 overs: Sarah Rountree 40*, Emma McMurray 23*; Analise Merritt 2-14, Chloe Greechan 2-14)
Jersey Women 106/5 (19.1 overs: Analise Merritt 34*, Charlie Miles 18, Grace Wetherall 17*; Nikki Niblock 2-11)
T20 Match 3- NCU Women v Jersey Women CSNI CC, Stormont, 1 September.
NCU Women won by 10 wickets
Jersey Women 122/7 (20 overs: Lily Greig 34, Charlie Miles 31; Natasha Morton 4-22, Charlotte Lyons 2-15)
NCU Women 125/0 (18.5 overs: Amy Caulfield 63*, Sophie Thomas 45*)