Second Round of Women's County Championship

A single block of fixtures this weekend makes up the second round of the Women's County Championship, with some intriguing games in both the first and the second divisions, and the likely appearance of many of the England contractual players for the first time.

Pick of the weekend's clashes in Div 1 should be the Yorkshire v Lancashire scrap at Harrogate CC. Both teams won their first two games and, if they are both at full strength, then it could be an intriguing battle, with the bowlers likely to be on top for both teams. It could be a low scoring thriller.

Elsewhere Kent host old foes Sussex, who once again made a dreadful start to their season, losing both their first two games badly. With the possible return of Danni Wyatt, Georgia Elwiss and also Sarah Taylor, Sussex will be a tougher proposition. But Kent should have skipper Tammy Beaumont back to lead her troops, together with Laura Marsh and Tash Farrant. It has the makings of another needle game.

Warwickshire should be favourites to maintain their 100% record against Notts, at home for the third game in a row. Notts dispatched Sussex, but were bowled out for 144 by Kent to lose their second game. With Jenny Gunn and Amy Jones likely to add to Warwickshire's solid team, it could be a miserable day for Notts.

Finally either Middlesex or Berkshire will get off the mark in the final game in Division One. Heather Knight's foot injury will keep her out of the Berkshire side, but Middlesex will be very pleased to welcome back Fran Wilson to bolster their batting. The evergreen Beth Morgan has shown that she too is in good form with the bat, which could be enough to give Middlesex the edge.

Division One Fixtures 
Kent v Sussex at KCCC Beckenham
Middlesex v Berkshire at Mill Hill School
Warwickshire v Notts at Edgbaston Foundation Ground
Yorkshire v Lancashire at Harrogate CC

In Div 2 unbeaten teams Devon and Somerset clash. People will be keen to see England's Anya Shrubsole as she tries to keep her Somerset team at the top of the league, plus can Sophie Luff maintain her form with the bat (just the two centuries so far)? If Shrubsole can break through early Devon might find the going tough.

Also unbeaten Hampshire travel to Surrey, who have one win under their belt to date. Suzie Bates is the big hurdle Surrey will need to overcome. She too picked up a brace of 100s in the first weekend's fixtures and will be looking to make it three in three. Surrey should have Nat Sciver back in the team. On paper Surrey have the greater depth, but it is who performs on the day.

Staffs and Derbyshire will both be looking for their first win of the season at Moddershall. Derbyshire might just be favourites, but it will be tight.

And finally Wales, fresh from a victory over Surrey, are at home again to Worcestershire. Wales will expect to get full points

Division Two Fixtures
Devon v Somerset at North Devon CC
Staffs v Derbyshire at Moddershall CC
Surrey v Hants at Reed's School
Wales v Worcs at Panteg

Martin Davies

Preview of 2017 Women's County Championship

I have had several attempts at writing this introduction to this, my last preview of the Women's County Championship. In fact I did wonder if it was worth writing it at all? The reality is that the County Championship has been emasculated by its reduction to just seven games (its needs expanding not reducing!); the timing of the matches (71% of games will have been played by the end of May); ridiculous rules if games are cancelled by rain; and the lack of top players playing in it.

There is no 50 over KSL tournament this year, but there will be next, and then none of the players playing in that tournament will be playing county cricket at all. I feel desperately sorry for all those people who have worked, and continue to work, incredibly hard to make women's county cricket happen, and for all the young players, who are denied the opportunity to showcase their skills, every weekend, against the best players. So, without further ado, as they say...


Just eight teams will compete for the County Championship trophy this year, after three were relegated (Staffs, Surrey and Somerset) and only two were promoted from Division Two (Lancashire and Notts).

Kent won the trophy last year at a canter losing only once, to Sussex, who finished in the runners-up slot. But for much of the season it was Warwickshire that led the pack. They beat Sussex, Berkshire, and Surrey, and had two more games called off, to lead the table into the penultimate weekend. But they were dispatched by Kent and then lost the next day to Middlesex, to blow any chance they had of winning the Championship for the first time. They finished a creditable third.

With one less game to be played this year, and with teams without their England contingent probably for the majority of the season, this could be a very topsy turvy county season. The ECB have scheduled five of the seven games to be played by 29th May, and the last two games have been shoe-horned in between the end of the KSL league games and the KSL Finals' Day. It means the England girls will play a maximum of three games before the World Cup (probably less) and any of the 36 players involved in the three teams in KSL Finals' Day are unlikely to be allowed to play the last two games of the season.

It is almost impossible to predict who will actually win any particular game, let alone who is going to win the Championship. But below I have had a quick look at all the teams. Their strengths and weaknesses will depend on which 11 players they can actually put on the field. We know the England contracted players will miss the first weekend's games, but beyond that who knows? Kiwis Amy Satterthwaite (Lancs), Rachel Priest (Berks) and Holly Huddlestone (Middlesex) are the only overseas players in the Championship and could have a massive influence on their teams' fortunes in their first five games. If I had to stick my neck out I'd back Warwickshire and Lancashire to be fighting it out for the title come August, and Berkshire and Notts to be fighting to stay in Div 1, but with so few games to play and the weather bound to intervene, it could easily be the other way round. Let's hope we see some good cricket, and find a few future stars, as we wave goodbye to the Women's County Championship as we know it.

First weekend's fixtures

Lancashire v Middlesex at St Anne's Cricket Club
Notts v Sussex at Lady Bay Sports Ground
Warwickshire v Kent at Edgbaston Foundation Ground
Yorkshire v Berks at Harrogate Cricket Club

Lancashire v Berkshire at Urmston Cricket Club
Notts v Kent at Lady Bay Sports Ground
Warwickshire v Sussex at Edgbaston Foundation Ground
Yorkshire v Middlesex at Harrogate Cricket Club

The teams

Berkshire (last year 5th)
Berkshire are under new captain, Lissy Macleod, and will have Kiwi Rachel Priest in Berkshire black for the first five games of the season, but they are unlikely to see much of former skipper Heather Knight. Runs could be a big issue for them. It is going to be a struggle.
Squad
Lissy Macleod (capt), Heather Knight, Rachel Priest, Carla Rudd, Sherisa Gumbs, Annabel Flack, Alex Rogers, Fi Morris, Daisy Gardner, Lauren Bell, Ashleigh Muttitt, Millie Allerton

Kent (last year Champions)
The big news over the winter at Kent was the departure of Charlotte Edwards to Hampshire, after 16 years with her adopted county. She takes with her New Zealand international Suzie Bates, who had such a good season with the county last year.
Stepping up to the Kent captaincy will be Tammy Beaumont, when she is not on England duty. Her back-up will be Alice Davidson-Richards, who is likely to lead the county more often than not. Without their England contingent of Beaumont, Farrant and Marsh and with no overseas player yet named, the early part of the season could be up and down.
Squad
Beaumont (captain), Davidson-Richards (vice), Belt, Bryan, Farrant, Franklin, Gibbs, Greenway, Griffiths, Jackson, Jelfs, Marsh, Pape, Thompson

Lancashire (last year promoted from Div 2 as winners)
Back in the top flight again after winning promotion from Div 2 initially in 2014, only to be relegated straight back down without a win to their name in 2015. They seem determined the same will not happen to them again this year, and have enticed Alex Hartley back from Middlesex after four years in the south, which brought her an England contract. She will make an interesting pairing with fellow left-armer Sophie Ecclestone. They also have the in-form Kiwi Amy Satterthwaite warming up for the WWC17 with them until the end of May. Senior Academy batsmen Eve Jones has also joined from Staffs. On paper they look a strong team, but early success will be vital for them.
Squad
Megan Fairclough (capt) (4), Natalie Brown (10, Ellie Threlkeld (21), Bhumika Doshi (14), Nalisha Patel (15), Emma Lamb (6), Hannah Jones (7), Jess Couser (9), Laura Jackson (22), Laura Marshall (12), Rachel Dickinson (17), Sophie Ecclestone (19), Kate Cross (16), Shachi Pai (18), Evie Priestley (25), Georgie Holt (27), Rebecca Duckworth (26), Evelyn Jones (3), Alex Hartley (8), Ella Telford (5), Amy Satterthwaite (11).

Middlesex (last year 6th)
After four years with Middlesex in Division One, left-arm spinner Alex Hartley has been lured back to her old county, Lancashire, and Leeds medical student Anna Nicholls has chosen to stay in the north and represent Yorkshire. New skipper for the County Championship is Naomi Dattani. They will miss Fran Wilson's batting when she is on England duty, with the onus on Dunkley, Dattani and Dalton to get some runs on the board for them. They do welcome back Kiwi pace bowler Holly Huddleston.
Squad
Dattani (11) (capt), Bouchier (16), Dalton (3), Dattani (11), Dunkley (14), Gole (12), Huddleston (17), Miles (8), Morgan (5), Pope (15), Ravel (7), Wakeman (9), Westbury (6), Whitty (1), Wilson (4), Wolfe (10)

Notts (last year promoted from Div 2 as runners-up)
Relegated from Div 1 in 2015, they have come straight back, despite England internationals Jenny Gunn and Danni Wyatt leaving the county. They too have brought in some new recruits from other counties, Jodie Dibble from Devon, Lucy Higham from Leicestershire and Megan Burton from Wales. Led again by Sonia Odedra they should have a settled team throughout the year and could easily cause a few upsets in the first five games of the season.
Squad

Sonia Odedra (capt), Natasha Allen, Georgie Boyce, Megan Burton, Kelsey Cox, Jodie Dibble, Kirstie Gordon, Yvonne Graves, Lucy Higham, Hannah Hughes, Sophie Munro, Rosie Penford, Jane Smit, Ruth Sprawson, Hollie Stannard, Ella Tweed, Rebecca Widdowson, Bethany Unwin.

Sussex (last year 2nd)

A very strong squad on paper, but many of this squad will play very few County Championship games, if any at all. A great deal will be expected of the younger players, led this year by new captain, Georgia Adams. The only new recruit is Berkshire's left arm spinner, Linsey Smith, but she may miss the first two games as she is currently with the England squad in Abu Dhabi. Sussex's Achilles' heel is always the first few games of the season. This year they meet Notts and Warwickshire away in the first weekend. They are must-win games.
Squad
Georgia Adams (capt), Flora Bertwhistle, Ella Bourne, Ellen Burt, Sally Clarke, Izzy Collis, Freya Davies, Ariana Dowse, Georgia Elwiss, Abbey Freeborn, Chiara Green, Nancy Harman, Ella McCaughan, Tara Norris, Paige Scholfield, Linsey Smith, Bethany Tagg, Sarah Taylor, Ella Wadey, Lucy Western, Danni Wyatt.

Warwickshire (last year 3rd)
Last year's surprise package, they led the County Championship only to run out of self-belief when they faced the mighty Kent. This year they will be another year older and wiser and are again likely to be there or thereabouts. Their batting can look a little thin, but their bowling might save them. Youngsters Georgia Davis and Kate Green are names to watch out for.
Squad
Marie Kelly (capt), Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Rebecca Grundy, Georgia Hennessy, Georgia Davis, Laura Crofts, Liz Russell, Mina Zahoor, Anisha Patel, Kathryn Bryce, Jo Gardner, Louise Brazier, Bethan Ellis, Kate Green

Yorkshire (last year 4th)
A massively powerful team when they have their full England contingent available, they become less predictable when they are away. Led by Jess Watson this year they will be a tight unit, but as with others, runs will be an issue. Expect leggies Katie Levick and Hollie Armitage to lead the bowlers.
Squad
Jess Watson (capt), Lauren Winfield, Katherine Brunt, Dani Hazell, Beth Langston, Hollie Armitage, Anna Nicholls, Steph Butler, Katie Levick, Cecilia Allen, Hannah Buck, Katie Thompson, Madie Walsh, Theresa Graves, Rebecca Newark, Hannah Poulter, Rachel Hildreth, Charlotte North

MD
28/IV/17

Round Up of first weekend in Div 2 of the Women's County Championship

Devon made the ideal start to their 2016 campaign to get into Division One of the County Championship, with back-to-back wins against Hampshire and Essex, and with Aylish Cranstone

1st ton for Aylish Cranstone

hitting her first century for the county, and the first century of the WCC 2016 season!

On Sunday newly promoted Hampshire opted to take first use of a fairly spongey pitch against Devon. Opening bowlers Sophie Mackenzie and Rebecca Donohue asserted control over the innings. Mackenzie bowled Charlotte Taylor with a no-ball, who then went on to score an assured 32. Devon built pressure and took regular wickets, despite some resistance from Emily Windsor who stuck around for a 58-ball 13. Lydia Clements bowled tightly in the powerplay to take 1-12 off six, as Hampshire reached 127 all out in the 48th over.

Amara Carr with 53 anchored the Devon innings, which was a stop-start on a pitch where a bit of time was needed to feel comfortable, and Hampshire's bowlers tied up Devon by bowling straight.There were small contributions from a number of batsmen, but Alli Kelly was the pick with 16, and Devon crawled over the line in the 41st over, winning by three wickets.

On Monday Devon racked up 265/5 with Cranstone hitting a magnificent 134* off 140 balls. Essex were unable to string any partnerships together and subsided to 98 all out in the 30th over (for a fuller report see CRICKETher).

Elsewhere Wales ensured that Essex had a thoroughly miserable weekend as they defeated them by 37 runs. Bowled out for 150 (Parfitt 41), Wales proceeded to bowl out their opponents for 113 with Anwen Morgan claiming 4/19.

In the only other game of the weekend new kids on the block Leicestershire were bowled out by relegated Notts for 97. Sonia Odedra took 4/12 in her 10 overs and Kirstie Gordon 4/24 in her set of 10. Former England keeper Jane Smit led Notts to an easy victory with 42*. 
Results

Wales 150 all out beat Essex 113 all out, by 37 runs
Hampshire 127 all out lost to Devon 128/7, by 3 wickets
Leicestershire 97 all out lost to Notts 101/3, by 7 wickets

Devon 265/5 beat Essex 98 all out, by 167 runs
Leics v Wales - abandoned
Lancs v Notts - cancelled

MD
04/V/16

County Championship Wrap Up

It is always sad when a cricket season comes to an end, as the 2015 season here in England has just done. It is usually made worse by the fact that the sun continues to shine until the end of September, but this year Autumn seems to have arrived early in the UK, with plenty of rain falling from the sky.

Unfortunately that rain arrived a couple of weeks ago, and wrecked the end of the Women's County Championship season, when the Yorkshire v Sussex game was called off. It would have been a pivotal game, but the rules say that it does not have to be played, so it wasn't. Yorkshire went on to annihilate Lancashire in their last game of the season and the County Championship title was theirs for the first time since 2002, when the league had just six teams and five games were played in a week. Kent finished in the runners-up spot. 

At the bottom Lancashire have discovered that life in Div 1 is pretty tough. They have lost all of their eight games and have managed to pick up just six bowling bonus points. That equates to just 26 wickets taken in those eight games, not helped by batting first in seven of their fixtures, including games where they won the toss. They were also missing Kate Cross for four of their games, although she only took three wickets in the four games she did play. Will she be happy to play Division 2 cricket again next year? I am guessing she will, if the ECB will let her.

So the question was who would make the drop with Lancashire? It was between Warwickshire (the Harry Houdini's of Div 1) and Notts. Notts did what they could by beating Surrey and claiming 17 points, but Warwickshire pulled off the great escape yet again by beating Middlesex and claiming the full 18 points on offer. It meant that they finished three points above Notts. Will Notts be able to hold on to Jenny Gunn and Danni Wyatt for the 2016 season? With the promotion of Wyatt's former county, Staffordshire, to Division One next year, it may be a tough call. There is little doubt that Staffs would love to have her back. 

Coming up with Staffs, who finished runners-up in Division Two, will be Somerset. They have been so close to Division One status for the past two years, so it was good to see them get it spot on this year with an undefeated season. Sophie Luff hit a couple of important hundreds and Welsh import Gwenan Davies meant that they did not miss Fran Wilson (who left to play at Middlesex) too much at the top of the order. It will be good to see how they go in Division One next year, and whether they can entice South African Lizelle Lee back to play in the top division.

Looking forward to 2016 the ECB must change the rules on cancelled and abandoned games. They are currently a nonsense. Abandoned games (ie games that are started and not finished) cannot be replayed, and cancelled games do not have to be replayed if one team does not want to. This has always allowed teams to manipulate who they do or do not want to play if the weather intervenes. The rule has to be that abandoned and cancelled games MUST be played. If not then they are conceded and the willing team gets a full bonus points win. I would also like to see the season extended to 12 games. With the current nine teams in the league this would mean eight regular games and then four additional games (there are various formulae that can be used to make these as fair as possible). In 2017 it would be easier to reduce the league to seven teams, playing home and away, perhaps with the goal of having four divisions of seven teams ultimately, which might keep things fresh.

Certainly the County Championship will need some spicing up. Next season the inaugural Women's Cricket Super League T20 competition is due to start, and the season after that there is due to be a 50 over competition, which will undoubtedly impact on the standard of county cricket. Basically the more senior players will not be playing it. But the ECB cannot afford to let it wither on the vine. It needs to be supported, encouraged and properly financed, albeit perhaps reduced from the current 38 teams. It will be the proving ground for up and coming players and the home to those that want to play at a good level, but do not have the time or the ambition to play in the Super League or beyond. 

MD
16/IX/15

County Champs reaches conclusion

So it looks like this will be the last weekend of County Championship fixtures despite the fact that there are two unplayed games in both the 1st and 2nd Divisions.

In Division One if Yorkshire beat bottom of the table Lancs and get 17 or 18 points in the process, then they will be the champions, despite the fact that have a game outstanding against Sussex who could beat them to the title (more here). If they get 16 or less then Kent will be the champions, unless Sussex can beat Berkshire with full bonus points and then it would come down to NRR between Kent and Sussex.
At the bottom Lancs are already relegated back to Div 2, but either Notts or Warwickshire will join them there next season. Notts perhaps have the easier task as they take on Surrey at home. Surrey have had a miserable season and have not won a game since 21st June, although they got to within one run of Yorkshire in their last outing. Warwickshire take on Middlesex, who beat Kent handsomely in their last match and will want to end the season on a high.

In Division Two Somerset and Staffs are both promoted, but it is a question of who will win the Div 2 title. Both are unbeaten and locked together on points, and they take on Wales and Worcestershire respectively. A win is essential, but it could all come down to bonus points. As they have not played each other (cancelled due to rain), if they finish equal top on points then the team with the better net run rate over the season will win the title.
At the bottom Scotland are heading back down to Div 3 but they would love to pick up their first win of the season against mid-table Devon, who are safe from relegation as the two teams below them, Essex and Durham meet in a "winner stays up" match. If Durham win they are safe come what may. If Essex win then they need to get at least three extra bonus points out of eight available to save their bacon.

Division 1
Notts v Surrey at Welbeck CC
Sussex v Berkshire at Horsham CC
Warwickshire v Middx at Egbaston Foundation Ground
Yorks v Lancs at Harrogate CC

Division 2 
Devon v Scotland at Exmouth CC
Durham v Essex at Durham City CC
Somerset v Wales at The County Ground, Taunton
Staffs v Worcs at Meakins

MD
10/IX/15

Div 1 Results and Round-Up

Only four of the eight scheduled games could be played this weekend due to excessive rain throughout the country.
League leaders Kent lost to Middlesex, while chasers Yorkshire and Sussex both won, but Yorkshire only by the skin of their teeth after a spirited fightback by Surrey, who fell just one run short. (Check out what this means at the top of the division here)
At the bottom Warwickshire picked up a vital win at Lancs on Monday, which puts Notts down into the second relegation place.
Notts finish their season at home against Surrey and Warwickshire finish theirs against Middlesex, also at home.
Lancs two losses means they will go straight back down to Div 2, no matter what the result of the local derby with Yorkshire on 13th September.

[league table here]

Yorkshire 174/6 (Elise Good 56, Sarah Clarke 3/27)
Surrey 173/8 (Sarah Clarke 51, Laura Spragg 3/33)
Yorkshire won by 1 run
Yorkshire made hard work of reaching 174/6 in their 50 overs, but it looked to be too much for Surrey as they slipped to 76/5 at the halfway point in their reply, but Sarah Clarke (51) and Bryony Smith (35), kept plugging away and they took Surrey into the last 10 overs needing 53 to win. From there on in Surrey managed to keep it at about a run a ball, with 19 needed off the last three overs and then seven from the last six balls with three wickets in hand, including Clarke. But with three needed off the last two balls, Clarke was caught at deep midwicket and Surrey could only manage one off the last ball, to leave Yorkshire winners by one run.

Middlesex 238 all out (Fran Wilson 90, Beth Morgan 77)
Kent 146 all out (Tammy Beaumont 32) 
Middlesex won by 92 runs
Middlesex looked to be in all sorts of bother at 48/3, but this just meant that Fran Wilson (90) and Beth Morgan (77) had more time at the crease together. They put together a 143 run partnership which saw Middlesex finally amass 238 all out to the last ball of their innings. In reply Kent never really got going. After 25 overs they were 64/3 and when Beaumont (32) was run out a short while after drinks all hope was gone for Kent. But with bonus points potentially crucial they past the 100 mark and looked like reaching 150, having been 132/8 with six overs to go and then 146/8 with 10 balls to come, but Jelfs and Belt fell to consecutive balls to leave Kent 4 short of another bonus point.

Lancashire 198/9 (Nat Brown 56, Holly Colvin 3/19, Izzy Collis 3/19)
Sussex 199/4 (Alexia Walker 50*, Holly Colvin 48*)
Sussex won by 6 wickets
Nat Brown was chiefly responsible for Lancashire posting 198/9 at Wigan where the wicket had a very short boundary on one side. Holly Colvin picked up 3/19, as did leg-spinner Izzy Collis. Nalisha Patel and Sophie Ecclestone added an unbeaten 35 for the last Lancs' wicket. In reply Sussex lost a couple of early wickets before Collis (34) and Paige Scholfield (33) added 50 for the third wicket. Both went smashing long-hops to deep square, but veterans Alexia Walker (50*) and Colvin (48*) saw Sussex home comfortably in the 41st over.

Warwickshire 109/1
Berkshire
Match Abandoned

Lancashire 86 all out (Emma Lamb 37, Katie Green 3/19, Georgia Davis 3/28)
Warwickshire 87/2 (Amy Jones 30*)
Warwickshire won by 8 wickets
Warwickshire completed a huge win, in all senses, against Lancs on BH Monday, when no other games were played.
Having been inserted Lancs struggled to make 86 all out in 31 overs, with only Emma Lamb (37) making it into double figures. As the drizzle continued to fall Warwickshire made short work of the reply and claimed a maximum 18 points, which will help their relegation battle no end.

Yorkshire v Sussex - Cancelled

Berks v Kent - Cancelled

Middlesex v Notts - Cancelled

MD
01/IX/15

Could this be a decisive weekend in the Women's County Championship?

After the latest T20 action a few days ago the Women's County Championship returns to prominence this Sunday with a full list of fixtures, despite the fact that 27 England (Ashes duties) and England Academy (warm-up game v Australia) players will not be available for selection for their counties. It means that the counties that have relied on their England contingent will have to dig into their reserves, and there will be opportunities for others to take the limelight, as Lissy MacLeod did for Berkshire on Saturday. She top-scored with 61 and took 4/26, as Berkshire posted 202 and then bowled out Middlesex for 165.

It was Middlesex's second County Championship defeat in a row, with two T20 defeats sandwiched in between. This Sunday they take on Sussex, who will be one of the teams who will suffer the most due to England duties. Middlesex will be hoping to reinvigorate their season and Sussex will be hoping to maintain some sort of title challenge.

So who will be missing England players this Sunday?

Kent (5) - Charlotte Edwards, Lyda Greenway, Laura Marsh, Tammy Beaumont, Tash Farrant
Sussex (4) - Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Taylor, Georgia Adams, Freya Davies
Yorkshire (3) - Katherine Brunt, Lauren Winfield, Dani Hazell
Berkshire (2) - Heather Knight, Carla Rudd
Lancashire (2) - Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone
Notts (2) - Jenny Gunn, Danielle Wyatt
Somerset (2) - Anya Shrubsole, Sophie Luff
Warwickshire (2) - Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones
Devon - Jodie Dibble
Essex - Beth Langston
Middlesex - Fran Wilson
Staffs - Evelyn Jones
Surrey - Nat Sciver

Div One Games
Lancashire v Berks at Wigan CC
Notts v Yorkshire at Welbeck CC
Surrey v Kent at the Kia Oval
Sussex v Middlesex at the County Ground, Hove

League leaders Kent visit local rivals Surrey at the Kia Oval without five frontline players. Surrey will be missing just Nat Sciver from their ranks. It must flip the odds in favour of Surrey who should have Rachel Candy and Sarah Clarke to lead from the front. Could Surrey inflict the first defeat on Kent this summer?
Yorkshire will be without their captain Lauren Winfield plus Katherine Brunt and Dani Hazell for their trip to Welbeck to take on Notts. Yorkshire had a good win over Middlesex two weeks ago, with their Aussie import Beth Mooney a major contributor with the bat. Notts will be missing Danni Wyatt and Jenny Gunn without whom they may struggle for runs, which should allow Yorkshire to keep the pressure on at the top of the league.
Sussex invite Middlesex down to charming County Ground at Hove and they will have to fill in five gaps left by England duties, plus another as Erin Osborne too is on Ashes' duty, but for the other side. The opportunity will be there for Middlesex, but they are low on confidence and Sussex's young pups have very little to lose. One big performance could win this game for either side.
Winless Lancashire take on a resurgent Berkshire side, who beat Middlesex last Saturday for their second win in four games. Both teams will be missing two English players each, with Berks' skipper Heather Knight perhaps the most influential with both bat and ball. Berks will also be without the services of Alex Blackwell, but they have Corinne Hall to replace her and some experience amongst their ranks and I think they may still have just too much for this Lancs Thunder team.

Div Two Games
Durham v Ireland at Durham City CC
Essex v Worcestershire at Garon Park, Southend
Somerset v Scotland at Brislington CC
Staffs v Devon at Milford Hall CC

Staffs against Devon is the top clash in Div 2, with Staffs attempting to keep their unbeaten record and Devon desperate to keep up a challenge for promotion . They are currently third but have already lost two games. A further defeat would end their chances so they have to go for it against Staffs. Defeat would be a blow but not be a disaster for Staffs. They do still have Somerset (the only other unbeaten side) to play. Hopefully both teams will agree to play that cancelled game at some time before the season ends in September.
Somerset take on Scotland, who will be glad that Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Luff will not be lining up for the west country team. But Somerset are likely to still prove too strong for Scotland, who are yet to get off the mark in this higher division.
Also winless so far are Essex, who entertain Worcestershire, at the generally pretty flat Garon Park. I cannot see it being a run-fest, but Worcestershire might just have the edge with the experienced Kiwi Sian Ruck, opening their bolwing attack. Early wickets from her might just clinch it.
And finally Ireland are at Durham. Both teams are consistently inconsistent so anything could happen. Ireland come off the back off a good win over Devon last time out, and Durham beat Worcestershire in a two run cliffhanger. Ireland will miss the experience of the injured Izzy Joyce, who is likely to miss the rest of the season, and they need at least one of their top order batsmen to stand up and get some runs on the board for the team. It could be another nail-biter?

MD
15/VII/15

Unbeaten Kent, Middx & Sussex clash in Week 2 of County T20 action

This Sunday the women are back in Nat West County T20 action around the country. Here are the details of who is doing what, where and some interesting clashes to look out for. This is the final weekend this season before the England squad will be withdrawn from games to concentrate on the Ashes, so teams should be at their strongest, subject to injuries. First games start at 10.30am.

Division One
At Arundel Castle - Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
At Welbeck CC - Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
At Bath CC - Ireland, Somerset and Surrey

Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
It just so happens that the three teams that won both their fixtures on the opening day of the Nat West T20 competition all meet at the picturesque Arundel Castle ground this Sunday. Kent beat Berkshire and Ireland; Middlesex beat Notts and Somerset; and Sussex beat Surrey and Yorkshire. If one team could win both their games this weekend then they would being sitting pretty at the top of the league having played half their games.
Sussex have the most powerful and diverse bowling attack and they will rely on them to keep their opponents' scores in check. They will have their work cut out against Middlesex's opening pair of Sophia Dunkley and Tash Miles, and Kent's experienced top order of Edwards, Beaumont, Greenway and Marsh. Early wickets will be the key for Sussex.
It will be interesting to compare the left-arm spin of Sussex's former England star Holly Colvin and Middlesex's Alex Hartley, who is flirting with selection for the Ashes squad. Both are happy to give the ball some air and entice batsmen into false shots. Both could prove to be very effective again.
Kent have their own young spinner in Megan Belt, plus former Sussex player Laura Marsh, and Charlotte Edwards is once again twirling her arm over for her county.
The standard of cricket is going to be very high and one or two stand-out performances will win the individual games. Too close to call.

Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
Each of these teams picked up one win in the first week of the competition. Berkshire beat Ireland by eight wickets; Notts beat Somerset by seven wickets and Yorkshire beat Surrey by 10 wickets.
For Notts Danni Wyatt was in scintillating form with the bat. She scored 102 against Somerset and 89 (54b) in a losing cause against Middlesex. She is obviously a key wicket for Notts' opponents.
As are the Yorkshire opening pair of Lauren Winfield and Aussie Beth Mooney. Both looked in great touch as they clocked up an unbeaten opening partnership of 125 to waltz past Surrey's 122/7. In addition Yorkshire have the free-swinging Katherine Brunt and Alex Macdonald in their middle order. Berkshire have England VC Heather Knight at the top of their order, followed by the hard-hitting Lissy MacLeod. Get past those and you just have Australia's Alex Blackwell to contend with (playing her last game for Berkshire before joining her touring Aussie teammates).
Notts won the trophy last year and they have a good T20 pedigree, so I tip them to beat Berkshire, but I think they may find Yorkshire too strong for them. If Yorkshire can also overcome Berks it could be a good weekend for them.

Ireland, Somerset and Surrey
None of these teams managed a win in the first round of fixtures, so they will all be anxious to get off the mark. Opening bat for Somerset, South African Lizelle Lee, can take the game away from any team if she gets going, and the home team will be hoping she does. Somerset and England opening bowler Anya Shrubsole has also looked good with the bat recently, so she too will be a key player, playing at her home club.
Surrey have had a bit of a torrid time of late, both in the county championship and T20 competition, but they had to manage the first T20 week without leg-spinner Sarah Clarke and Kiwi Rachel Candy was injured in game one. If both are back they could get their T20 campaign back on track.
Ireland struggled to get runs on the board against Kent and Berks in their first round games. Div 1 is a step up for them and Somerset and Surrey will do them no favours this weekend. They need someone in their top five to bat through their innings to set up a decent score. They may struggle.

Division Two 
At Fordhouses CC - Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
At Durham City CC - Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
At Leamington CC - Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire

Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire
Lancs and Warwickshire made the perfect start to their T20 campaign with two wins out of two. Lancs overcame Essex (in a 10 over slog) and Derbyshire (with some ease). Warwickshire brushed aside the Netherlands and Staffs, bowling them out for 59 and 64 respectively. Warwickshire are probably the team to beat out of these three and Wales may find it hard to overcome a young and enthusiastic Lancashire team.

Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
Cheshire had a great opening weekend with two wins over Durham (4 runs) and Wales (48 runs). Essex and Staffs may be tougher this week. Essex beat Derbyshire to clock up their first win in any competition this season, but Staffs drew a blank with clattering defeats to both Warwickshire and the Netherlands. They will hope to bounce back this weekend and record their first T20 points of the season.

Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
Promoted Derbyshire struggled in their first games in Div 2 four weeks ago and they may do so again this weekend. Durham beat Wales by four runs, but then lost by the same margin to Cheshire. They should be too strong for both Derbyshire and the Netherlands, who have one win under their belt over Staffs.

MD
3/VII/15

Kent go top as Yorkshire flay Middlesex

Kent have clambered their way back to the top of Division One of the Women's County Championship courtesy of an easy victory over Warwickshire, and league leaders Middlesex crashing to a nine wicket defeat at Yorkshire, which keeps Yorkshire right in contention too.
Surrey and Sussex have kept themselves in the hunt for top-spot with solid wins over Lancashire and Notts respectively. At the bottom things are looking bleak for Lancashire as they have now lost four from four.
But the England players on Ashes' duty will miss the next three games for their counties (19th July, 30th & 31st August), so things could all change before the season reaches it climax on 13th September (Kent having completed their fixtures on 31st August).

Div 1 Results and Reports

Game 17 - Lancashire v Surrey
Lancashire 78 all out (Nat Sciver 5/27, Sarah Clarke 4/11)
Surrey 79/4 (Susie Rowe 35*)
Surrey won by 6 wickets
Lancashire's disappointing first season in the top flight continued as they were skittled out for just 78 runs in less than 38 overs, losing their fourth game of the season, as Surrey romped home in less than 20 overs. Nat Sciver did the early damage claiming five of the top six wickets for just 27, and, who else, but Sarah Clarke (4/11) dispatched the last four Lancs' batsmen with her flighted leg breaks (she already has 14 wickets in Div 1 this year). Surrey made light work of getting the required runs, although they did lose four wickets in the process. Susie Rowe (35*) saw them home after Nat Sciver went for a bright 28, including five 4s.

Game 18 - Sussex v Notts
Notts 132 all out (Jenny Gunn 39, Danielle Wyatt 36, Holly Colvin 4/20, Erin Osborne 3/28)
Sussex 133/5 (Sarah Taylor 39)
Sussex won by 5 wickets
Sussex ran out very comfortable winners against Notts who quite simply could not put enough runs on the board to challenge the Sussex batting line up. Inserted Notts were soon two down as Sonia Odedra called her partner Georgie Boyce through for a suicidal run only to see her easily run out. Odedra herself then went edging Freya Davies to Georgia Elwiss at gully in the fifth over. Notts were 21/2. But Jenny Gunn (39) and Danielle Wyatt (36) made the most of some attacking fields set by Sarah Taylor, as Sussex strived to dislodge the two key Notts' batsmen. Eventually it was the spin combination of Holly Colvin (4/20) and Erin Osborne (3/28) that initially frustrated the pair and then took their wickets - Wyatt attempting to launch Colvin over mid-on and edging high to slip and Gunn eventually plopping one back to Colvin, having stood firm the ball before when it seemed she had edged the ball behind to Taylor. In the same over Aussie Zoe Richards departed for a duck and Notts were 103/6. Osborne returned as Colvin completed her spell and accounted for nine and ten, and then Freya Davies removed the jack's off stump to end the Notts innings.
In response Sussex lost Georgia Adams in the second over to Wyatt for a duck, but Georgia Elwiss (27) and Sarah Taylor (39) took the Sussex score past 50 in the 9th over and seemed to be cruising, before Elwiss was bowled by a full loopy off-break from Wyatt. Sussex's progress was stalled but not halted. Taylor continued to bat positively, despite losing Izzy Collis (10), with Paige Scholfield also hitting a breezey run-a-ball 25, but then Taylor fell to Gunn, caught at mid-off looking to go over the top. At 99/4 Notts might have felt they had a glimmer of a chance, but Osborne and Holly Colvin saw Sussex home easily in the 29th over.

Game 19 - Warwickshire v Kent
Kent 209/8 (Tammy Beaumont 67, Charlotte Edwards 37, Georgia Davies 3/23)
Warwickshire 125 all out (Megan Belt 3/20, Tash Farrant 3/23)
Kent won by 83 runs
Invited to bat Kent made their usual solid start through Tammy Beaumont (67) and Charlotte Edwards (37), the pair adding 90 for the first wicket, before Edwards was unfortunately run out at the non-striker's end as the bowler deflected a Beaumont drive onto the stumps. 30 runs later Kent's serene progress came to a juddering halt as they lost Lydia Greenway (5), Laura Marsh (0) and Beaumont in the space of five overs, leaving them on 133/4. Alice Davidson-Richards (27) and Kara Sutherland (23) decided to consolidate and they took the score to 184/6 before they were both out, together with keeper Lauren Griffith. Kent managed to push the total beyond the maximum bonus point 200 mark before they ran out of overs, setting Warwickshire 210 to win. As they stumbled to 41/5 Warwickshire never looked like being in contention. Only Georgia Hennessy (35) and Liz Smart (24) offered much resistance as Tash Farrant and Megan Belt picked up three wickets apiece as Warwickshire were bowled out for 125 in the 43rd over.

Game 20 - Yorkshire v Middlesex
Middlesex 174 all out (Fran Wilson 45, Katie Levick 3/??)
Yorkshire 175/1 (Lauren Winfield 99*, Beth Mooney 69)
Yorkshire won by 9 wickets
(no scorecard yet available)
Yorkshire restricted table-toppers Middlesex to just 174 as they bowled them out in the 42nd over of their innings. Fran Wilson top scored as Middlesex failed to set Yorkshire anything remotely resembling a challenging target.
Yorkshire openers Lauren Winfield (99*) and Aussie Beth Mooney (69) looked to be taking Yorkshire to a ten wicket win, before Mooney was caught on the boundary off Hartley with just six runs needed to win. Unfortunately there were not quite enough runs required for Winfield to complete a well-deserved century, but no doubt the Yorkshire skipper was happy enough with her own form and the thumping nine wicket win.

MD
22/VI/15

County Champs reaches half-way stage

Attention turns again to The Women's County Championship as it reaches it's half-way stage this Sunday with the fifth round of fixtures being played. We look at all the fixtures in Divs 1 & 2 and try to pick some winners.

Division One
Lancashire v Surrey at Urmston CC
Sussex v Notts at Billingshurst CC
Warwickshire v Kent at Egbaston Foundation Ground
Yorkshire v Middlesex at Harrogate CC

In Div 1 unbeaten Middlesex make the long journey to Harrogate to take on Yorkshire. Lauren Winfield and Katherine Brunt should be in the Yorkshire line-up, but it will be interesting to see if Dani Hazell makes it on to the field. She was absent from Yorkshire's recent T20 games in Surrey, where they beat Surrey, but lost to Sussex. Yorkshire will also have played Notts in a T20 match at Headingley tonight (Friday), before the same men's T20 Blast fixture. Middlesex will be buoyant after winning their first two County Championship games (against Surrey and Lancs) and their first two T20 games (against Notts and Somerset), but Yorkshire may prove tougher opposition particularly on home turf.
Sussex host the mercurial Notts at Billingshurst, which could prove to be the game of the weekend. Danni Wyatt is in sparkling form with the bat in T20 cricket, but can she convert that to the longer format? Sussex will hope not. They should be at full strength, and after a shakey start to the season they seem to have got their ducks in a row and look a formidable side in all formats.
Kent will be hoping to take full points from their encounter with Warwickshire to keep themselves in the title battle, before losing their England contingent for the remainder of the Championship season. But Warwickshire beat Surrey in their last County Championship game and if they can put some runs on the board then they could give Kent a good run for their money. They are a young team under the leadership of 24 year old England left-arm spinner Rebecca Grundy. Could she get one over on her illustrious England skipper?
Finally in Div 1 Lancs host Surrey for whom not much has gone right since they beat Sussex and Berkshire on the opening weekend of the season. They have subsequently lost in the County Championship to Middlesex and Warwickshire and they lost both their opening T20 games on Sunday to Yorkshire (by 10 wickets) and Sussex (by 8 wickets). They will be looking to bounce back against Lancs who have yet to pick up a win in the top flight of the County Championship. If Rachel Candy and Sarah Clarke are back in for the fixture then Lancs might still be winless come Monday.

Division Two
Devon v Ireland at Tiverton Heathcoat
Durham v Worcestershire at Durham City CC
Essex v Somerset at Felsted School
Wales v Staffordshire at Ynystawe CC

Staffordshire sit at the top of Div 2 with three wins out of three, but suffered a torrid time at last weekend's Div 2 T20 matches, losing to the Netherlands and Warwickshire. Mind you Wales, their opponents on Sunday didn't fare much better, losing to Cheshire and Durham in the same division. Staffs look likely to make it four from four.
Somerset are also unbeaten so far this season and Essex are the team that have to find an answer to South African opener Lizelle Lee, who is getting great support at the top of the order from Gwenan Davies, Sophie Luff and Anya Shrubsole. Over 300 could be on the cards again if Somerset get to bat first.
Devon need to beat Ireland to keep their title challenge on track. Ireland have struggled for runs after scoring over 300 in their first game of the season, and so are won two lost two so far this season. Jodie Dibble has been scoring plenty of runs at the top of the order for Devon and they look like they might be too strong for Ireland, but this could be the game of the weekend in Div 2.
Finally Worcestershire have made a great start to the season with wins over Scotland and Wales in the Championship. Durham pasted Scotland in their last Championship game and had a decent opening to their Div 2 T20 campaign last week, beating Wales and narrowly losing out to T20 surprises Cheshire. This could go either way.

MD
19/VI/15

Week 2 - Middlesex and Somerset set the pace in Divs 1 & 2

It was another action-packed weekend of women's cricket in Divisions 1 and 2 of the Women's County Championship, with some great performances and some amazing results.

In Division 1 Surrey and Notts went into the weekend having won two from two, only for both of them to lose both their games this weekend and throw the County Championship wide open again. It was Middlesex that stepped through the wide-open door, with a nail-biting four run win over Surrey and a comfortable eight wicket win over struggling Lancs. They now sit top of the league with those two wins and the Championship seems to be theirs to lose now. True they still have Kent and Sussex to play, but Kent are likely to be without Charlotte Edwards, Lydia Greenway and Laura Marsh, at least, for that encounter at the end of August, and Sussex could well be missing five front-line players when they meet Middlesex in mid-July. The fixtures have fallen beautifully for Middlesex and it is a question of whether they can hold their nerve. Kent remain unbeaten after comfortable wins over Lancs and Notts, but their strength in depth will be tested in their last four fixtures against Warwickshire, Surrey, Middlesex and Berkshire, who will also be missing their England players of course.

In Division 2 Somerset have shown their title credentials after an emphatic 117 run win over fellow-contenders Devon in their only game of the weekend. True Devon's bowling attack was somewhat depleted after injuries the previous day, but South Africa's Lizelle Lee is loving life in Division 2, smashing runs to all parts of the ground for her maiden century for Somerset. It won't be her last this year. Staffs share top-spot after easy wins over Durham and Ireland. They have tougher games to come. It was also a great weekend for Worcestershire who won both their games against Scotland and a cliff-hanger against Wales. They have proved to be the surprise-package of Div 2 this year and they must be looking forward to their next fixture against Durham in four week's time.
(Div 2 matches will be reviewed and uploaded this afternoon)

Div 1 Review

Game 9 - Berks v Notts
Berks - 182/8 (Alex Blackwell 38, Danni Wyatt 2/18)
Notts - 145 all out (47.1 overs) (Jenny Gunn 52*, Fi Morris 3/28)
Berks won by 37 runs
Berkshire were probably disappointed to only post 182, but it proved to be more than enough as Notts crumbled to 145 all out with only Jenny Gunn (52) and Georgie Boyce (35) putting up any real resistance. Notts made a terrible start to their reply losing Richards, Wyatt and Odedra with only five runs on the board. They also lost Wyatt to hospital as she was run out after slipping and dislocating her shoulder. Gunn did her best to keep Notts in the game, but ran out of partners in the 47th over.

Game 10 - Kent v Lancs
Lancs 180/8 (Kate Cross 68, Kara Sutherland 3/17)
Kent 142/2 (33 overs) (Charlotte Edwards 51, Tammy Beaumont 47)
Kent won by 8 wickets on a faster run rate when game ended by rain after 33 oversLancs did well to recover from 76/5 to post a respectable 180/8 thanks to the bat of Kate Cross and some stickability from the lower middle-order. But Charlotte Edwards (51) and Tammy Beaumont (47) broke the back of the run chase with an 84 run opening partnership despite Kate Cross's bowling, and Greenway and Marsh were leading Kent to an easy victory when the rain brought a premature halt.

Game 11 - Surrey v Middx
Middx 170 all out (Tash Miles 50, Rachel Candy 4/21, Sarah Clarke 3/50)
Surrey 166 all out (41.3 overs) (Libby Walters 30, Danni Warren 5/34)
Middlesex won by 4 runs
Beth Morgan's 100th game for Middlesex was an absoulte cracker. Kiwi Rachel Candy continued her good form for Surrey picking up four wickets as Middlesex threw away a good start (they were 104/2 at one stage) set up by Tash Miles (50), Catherine Dalton (39), and Fran Wilson (30) to finish on a below-par 170. Surrey just needed one of the top five to stick around and they would have got home, but they all fell for 30 or less and it was too much for the lower order who subsided to the wily old medium pace of Danni Warren with more than eight overs still left to play and only four runs needed.

Game 12 - Sussex v Warks
Warks 148/9 (Rebecca Grundy 32, Minahil Zahoor 30)
Sussex 149/3 (Sarah Taylor 74)
Sussex won by 7 wickets
A rather disjointed Sussex strolled to victory over a dysfunctional Warwickshire, who having won the toss bravely elected to bat against one of the strongest bowling attacks in the country. Their opening pair of Rebecca Grundy (32) and Minahil Zahoor (40) managed to add 70 for the first wicket, but they took 21 overs to do so. Amy Jones (1) came in at three but when she was nonchalantly caught one-handed over her head by Izi Noakes at mid-off trying to hit Holly Colvin over the top, the writing was on the wall for Warks. Their young batting line-up gradually capitulated with only Georgia Hennessy (27) putting up any great resistance, as Warks were helped to their total by three dropped catches, some shoddy Sussex fielding, plus a rather blinkered attitude to the bowlers used. The wickets were shared around and Aussie import Erin Osborne claimed her first wicket for the county.
In reply Sussex made a swift start as Adams (20) hit three 4s off the second over, but Georgia Elwiss (10) went in the 6th over and Adams was well caught at slip shortly after to leave Sussex on 40/2. But Sarah Taylor (74) and Izzy Collis (32*) dispatched the far too frequent bad balls adding 93 for the third wicket before Taylor lofted a catch to mid-off, but it was too little too late for Warks.

Game 13 - Berks v Yorks
Berks 104 all out (Alex Rogers 24, Dani Hazell 6/28)
Yorks 105/1 (Lauren Winfield 42*, Katherine Brunt 41*)
Yorkshire won by 9 wicketsBerkshire's batting crumbled to dust before the spin bowling of Dani Hazell (6/28) and Katie Levick (2/40) as they stumbled their way to just over 100 runs. It was never going to be enough and Katherine Brunt, batting at three smashed a quickfire 41* to end the game in just the 15th over of the Yorkshire reply.

Game 14 - Kent v Notts
Kent 214/7 (Laura Marsh 58, Lydia Greenway 57, Sonia Odedra 2/33)
Notts 87 all out (26.5 overs) (Zoe Richards 34, Laura Marsh 5/15, Megan Belt 4/34)
Notts started strongly against the current County Champions removing both Tammy Beaumont (14) and Charlotte Edwards (17) to leave Kent on 40/2, but Laura Marsh (58) and Lydia Greenway (57) added 122 for the third wicket to set up a total well beyond the reach of Notts, minus Dani Wyatt due to her injury from the previous day. From 56/1 Notts disintegrated as a procession of batsmen came and went, with the next nine wickets adding only another 31 runs to the total, as off-spinners Laura Marsh (5/15) and Megan Belt (4/34) wrapped up an easy victory for Kent.

Game 15 - Middx v Lancs
Lancs 101 all out (Natalie Brown 28, Izzy Westbury 3/15, Sophia Dunkley 3/28)
Middx 102/2 (Sophia Dunkley 36*)
Middlesex won by 8 wickets
Middlesex kept their 100% record with a convincing win over Lancs who are really struggling to find their feet in Div 1. Invited to bat Lancs could only muster 101 as they were tied in knots by the Middlesex spinners - Westbury, Dunkley and Hartley. Once Middlesex's Dunkley and Tash Miles had added 63 for the first wicket the result was never in doubt. It was only when skipper Titmuss brought Kate Cross on at fourth change that Lancs got a breakthrough as she picked up both openers. But Middx did not panic and they got home in the 28th over.

Game 16 - Surrey v Warks
Warks 176/9 (Georgia Hennessy 66, Sarah Clarke 3/32)
Surrey 171 all out (49.4 overs) (Sarah Clarke 34*, Katie Green 4/24)
Warwickshire won by 5 runs
Warwickshire pulled off a remarkable victory against title-contenders Surrey thanks to a battling 66 off 110 balls by Georgia Hennessy, and the complete failure of Surrey's top order to score any runs. Hennessy entered the fray with Warks in trouble at 16/2 with both opening bats back in the hutch. When she left Warks had taken their score to 132/6. The lower order eked out another useful 44 runs, five of which would ultimately prove to be the difference between the teams. Surrey's top order got bogged down and then got out to Rebecca Grundy after opening bowler Katie Green had taken two wickets in two balls, including Nat Sciver for her second golden duck of the season. For a while it looked as though 7,8 and 9 - Candy (25), Scutt (23) and Clarke (34*) - might pull off the victory for Surrey, but Anisha Patel accounted for Candy and Scutt and then Green returned to finish off what she had started and to finish with the fine figures of 4/24. Surrey ended up just 5 runs short to round off a thoroughly miserable weekend for them.

Div 2 Review

Game 9 - Devon v Wales
Devon 217 all out (Jodie Dibble 118, Claire Thomas 3/37)
Wales 136 all out (32 overs) (Lauren Parfitt 46)
Devon won by 4 runs when Wales set revised target of 140 to win in 32 overs due to rain interruption
Devon had skipper Jodie Dibble's 118 to thank for their par total of 217 all out. Only three other Devon batsmen made double figures and the highest of those was Cait O'Keefe's 24. Wales used eight bowlers as they tried to winkle Dibble out, but she completed her maiden senior century before falling with the score on 195/7. Between innings rain delayed Wales' response and when they came back out they needed to score 140 from 32 overs. Devon made early inroads, but opener Lauren Parfitt (46) kept Wales' hopes alive. Even when she fell with the score on 100 Wales only needed 40 off 8 overs. Gradually the equation reduced to 17 off 5 with three wickets still in hand, then 11 off three and eight off two. Cartwright was the eighth wicket to fall and with five needed off the last over both Scarborough and Parfitt were run out by Rebecca Silk to clinch the win for Devon.

Game 10 - Durham v Staffs
Staffs 244/1 (Evelyn Jones 115*, Molly Strano 80*)
Durham 150/9 (Rebecca Newark 36*, Stephanie Butler 2/16)
Staffs won by 94 runs
Evelyn Jones (115*) batted throughout the entire Staff's innings for her maiden century for Staffs. She was joined in the controlled run-fest by Aussie Molly Strano who hit 80*. Durham were never in the game after they lost early wickets and only reached 150 thanks to the late order efforts of number 8 Rebecca Newark (36*).

Game 11 - Essex v Ireland
Ireland 139 all out (Kim Garth 49*, Hannah Jeffrey 5/19)
Essex 123 all out (47.1 overs) (Cordelia Griffith 31, Amy Kenealy 3/17, Kim Garth 3/20)
Ireland won by 16 runs
The only significant partnership in the Irish innings was the ninth between Kim Garth (49*) and Amy Kennealy (7 off 33 balls). They took the Ireland score from 63/8 to 112/9 before Kenealy succumbed. A last wicket partnership of 27 between Garth and Jennifer Gray took the final Ireland score to 139. It proved to be too much for Essex who are struggling desperately in Div 2 having been relegated from Div 1 last year.Only opener Cordelia Griffith (31) and keeper Emily Smith (23) scored above 11 as Garth and Kenealy took on the role of tormentors with the ball too. Essex eventually ended 16 runs short when they were bowled out for 123.

Game 12 - Worcs v Scotland
Worcs 211/9 (Joanna Cull 49*, Thea Brookes 43, Abbi Aitken 5/34)
Scotland 179/9 (Olivia Rae 36, Kate McGill 32*, Abigail Houghton 3/32)
Worcestershire won by 32 runs
Worcestershire's middle-order batting all contributed with Joanna Cull (49*) and Thea Brookes (43) the pick of the them. Together they got Worcs to the respectable total of 211/9. Regular early wickets in the Scotland reply, including three in a row to Abi Houghton (3/32), put Scotland on the back foot and they never recovered to challenge the Worcs total despite 36 from Olivia Rae and late runs from Katie McGill (32).

Game 13 - Durham v Scotland
Durham 166/7 (Catherine Chapman 39, Becky Glen 37)
Scotland 50 all out (Elizabeth Priddle 32*, Helen Fenby 4/11. Rachael Petherick 3/24)
Durham won by 105 runs
Durham set Scotland 167 to win, based around a decent third wicket stand between Catherine Chapman (39) and Becky Glen (37). It was a target that Scotland probably felt happy chasing, until that is, they went into bat. Elizabeth Priddle (32*) was the only Wildcat to get into double figures as her partners found ways t get out at the other end. Coming in at four she remained unbeaten as Helen Fenby took four wicket in just 28 balls (4/11) to skittle Scotland out for just 50.

Game 14 - Somerset v Devon
Somerset 312/2 (Lizelle Lee 111, Sophie Luff 109*)
Devon 195 all out (50 overs) (Jodie Dibble 54, Cait O'Keefe 48)
Somerset won by 117 runs
South African opener Lizelle Lee (111) and England Academy's Sophie Luff (109*) took full advantage of a depleted Devon bowling attack (due to injury the day before) and the beautiful Taunton wicket to add 153 for the second Somerset wicket. Luff, scoring her maiden senior century, then added another 139 with Anya Shrubsole (63*) as Somerset piled up 312/2. Devon got to 96/1 in reply, but then lost wickets in clusters as the game slipped away from them.

Game 15 - Staffs v Ireland
Ireland 133 all out (Shauna Kavanagh 36, Laura Delany 34)
Staffs 137/4 (Francesca James 52)
Staffs won by 6 wickets
Once again Ireland's batting looked fragile as they struggled to 133 all out in 44.1 overs with all five of the Staff's bowlers used claiming a brace of wickets for not many runs. Only three Irish players made it into double figures with opener Shauna Kavanagh (36) and number 6 Laura Delany (34) the only major contributors. Staffs had little trouble knocking off the runs they needed, with Francesca James, coming in at four, after some rather pedestrian progress, smashing 52 off just 26 balls including five 6s. She left the carnage with just 11 needed to win, which Staffs achieved in the 32nd over.

Game 16 - Worcs v Wales
Worcs 176/8 (Clare Boycott 53, Lauren Rowles 44)
Wales 174 all out (50 overs) (Megan Burton 35)
Worcestershire won by 2 runs
Having used eight bowlers the previous day Wales went one better in this match with only the keeper and one other not getting a bowl. Ffion Wynne came out the top bowler with 2/16. Worcs' middle-order did most of the run-scoring with Clare Boycott (53) and Lauren Rowles (44) chief scorers. After losing the in-form Lauren Parfitt early Wales looked to be in trouble as they tried to chase down 177 to win, but Megan Burton (35) got them to 130/5, before a flurry of wickets left them floundering again on 137/8 with overs running out. Rose Evans (21) added 14 for the ninth wicket with Cartwright before she became Sian Ruck's second victim. Evans and number 11 Marsha Davies then took the game to the last over, but still needed 15 to win. They got 13 but Evans was out off the last ball to give Worcs the win by just 2 runs.


MD
26/V/15

Women's County Champs - Div 1 Week 2 Preview

The second Bank Holiday weekend in May sees the second set of Women's County Championship double headers.

All the teams should be able to pick from their full squads, subject to injury of course, so if you want to go and see some of the best players in the country then get out sometime over this coming weekend (fixtures are at the bottom of this piece).

Table-toppers Surrey are at Reed's School again on both days, where they beat Sussex on the opening day of the season. On Sunday they take on Middlesex who are yet to get their season underway due to rain, and this looks like being Surrey's toughest game of the weekend. Early wickets will be key for Middlesex, particularly those of in-form opener Kirstie White and number 3, Nat Sciver. Middlesex perhaps lack a really penetrating opening bowler, but their spinners - Hartley, Westbury and Dunkley might be able to strangle Surrey's batting if they can get their line and length right. I think Middlesex might just clip high-flying Surrey's wings.

On Sunday Surrey host Warwickshire, who lost both their games in the opening weekend (to Notts and Yorkshire). Surrey look odds-on to come away with the win, plunging Warwickshire into further trouble at the foot of the table. The previous day they will have taken on Sussex, who have not won in their last five county championship games (losses to Kent, Surrey, and Middlesex to end last season and then Surrey and Kent (the infamous tie) at the start of this one). Sussex will be keen to get back to winning ways and should be at full strength as Georgia Adams, Freya Davies, and Aussie import Erin Osborne all report for duty for the first time. Sussex's bowling looks too strong for Warwickshire.

New guys LCB Thunder may also struggle to get their first Div 1 win on the board as they have to travel to Kent and then Middlesex, for their second and third games in the top flight. Sussex proved that Kent's batting line-up is not invincible, but Charlotte Edwards will be determined that Kent pick up two more victories before she and her fellow England contingent concentrate their efforts on the Ashes. Lancs may just pay the price. Middlesex too will not want to slip up against the northerners. If they can make this their second win of the season they will be in prime position to challenge for the title as they have no players likely to feature in the Ashes series.

Kent's Monday game is an intriguing encounter against Notts. Notts' Danni Wyatt will be keen to show the England skipper what she is missing with the bat, and perhaps even the ball, if not selected for the national team. Notts' fortunes may fall on her shoulders, but the sensible money will be on another Kent win. Odds on the tie will be pretty long!

The previous day Notts will have been at Berkshire, who were only just pipped, by two runs, in their opening game of the season against Surrey. They will have taken heart from that and from the arrival of Aussie star bat Alex Blackwell who should make her first appearance of the season. This could be a tight game, hinging on just one key performance on either side. On paper Notts have the edge and I think they will probably win it.

The final game is Berks v Yorkshire on Bank Holiday Monday, which could be another monumental tussle. If Berkshire can make early inroads into the Yorkshire batting line-up then they might just pull off a bit of a surprise victory.

Sunday 24th May
Berks v Notts at Finchampstead CC
Kent v Lancs at Spitfire Ground St Lawrence
Surrey v Middx at Reeds School
Sussex v Warwickshire at East Grinstead CC

Monday 25th May
Berks v Yorkshire at Finchampstead CC
Kent v Notts at Spitfire Ground St Lawrence
Middx v Lancs at Edmonton CC
Surrey v Warwickshire at Reeds School

MD
17/V/15

Surrey, Notts and Devon make the perfect start

Despite the weather doing all that it could to spoil the first weekend's fixtures, the Royal London Women's County Championship got off to a cracking start, with only three of the sixteen games in Divs 1 and 2 lost to the weather. Thanks to all the groundsmen who did such a great job to get Sunday's games, in particular, played.

Once the dust had settled on Monday evening (and there was quite a bit of dust to settle) it was Surrey, Notts and Devon who made the most of the opening weekend with two wins out of two. Surrey head Div 1 with full points, but Devon are technically fourth in Div 2 as Somerset, Staffs and Wales all won the one game they played with full bonus points.

Here's a review of all the Div 1 and 2 results...
(scorecards should be available here)

Div 1 Review

Game 1 - Middx v Berks - cancelled
Rain had apparently got under the temporary tarpaulin covers which caused the game to be cancelled. You can read more here.

Game 2 - Kent v Yorks
(game reduced to 46 overs per side)
Yorks - 157/9 (Laura Spragg 41*, Charlotte Pape 2/31)
Kent - 158/1 (Charlotte Edwards 88*, Tammy Beaumont 43) in 31.5 overs
Kent won by 9 wickets
An easy victory for Kent against a depleted, but spirited, Yorkshire team missing Brunt, Hazell, Macdonald and Winfield, due to an England spin camp in Sri Lanka. Is Brunty thinking of becoming a spinner now too?

Game 3 - Notts v Warks 
(game reduced to 35 overs per side)
Warks 104 all out (Minahil Zahoor 34, Zoe Richards 3/13, Rebecca Widdowson 3/24)
Notts 105/5 (Jenny Gunn 27)
Notts won by 5 wickets
Invited to bat Warwickshire never looked like posting anything like a competitive score as they lost wickets early and continued to lose them as their innings progressed. Only opener Minahil Zahoor (34) put up any great resistance as Warwickshire crumbled to 104 all out. Notts overcame the required score, but it took them 33 overs and they lost five wickets in the process.

Game 4 - Surrey v Sussex
(game reduced to 31 overs per side)
Sussex - 139/9 (Sarah Taylor 77, Sarah Clarke 3/28)
Surrey - 143/3 (Kirstie White 67*, Nat Sciver 67, Ellen Burt 2/27) in 27.3 overs
Surrey won by 7 wickets
A wet outfield meant a late start and when Surrey won the toss they inserted Sussex on a green and speedy wicket. Only Sarah Taylor ever got to grips with the pace of the ball as she hit a fluent 77 out of the first 112 runs Sussex scored, before she was the fifth wicket to fall. Tormentor-in-chief for Surrey with the ball was leg-spinner Sarah Clarke, who claimed 3/28 from her seven overs including the key wicket of Taylor. Sussex had been heading for over 150 after 22 overs, but could only add 27 in the last 9 overs to fall well below a par score.
In reply Surrey lost Knight early, but Kirstie White and Nat Sciver both scored 67 apiece in a 129 second wicket stand as Sussex bowled without any great control or discipline. Sciver was dropped at slip off Colvin when on 9, with Surrey on 32/1. Had it been held it might have been a different game, but both White (who also took four catches and a stumping behind the stumps) and Sciver punished the far too frequent short balls, as a well-organised Surrey cruised to full points.

Game 5 - Berks v Surrey
Surrey 217/7 (Rachel Candy 81*, Imogen Brown 3/44)
Berks 215 all out (Emily Gerke 57, Corinne Hll 54, Katherine Robson 2/29) in 49.1 overs
Surrey won by 2 runsSurrey recovered from being 94/5 to post a competitive 217/7 in their 50 overs, thanks in the main to a sparkling 81* (71 balls) from Kiwi Rachel Candy. In response Berks lost Alex Rogers and Linsey Smith before reaching double figures, but Heather Knight (65) and Aussie Corinne Hall (54) took Berkshire beyond 100 before they lost their third wicket. Unfortunately Knight, and Carla Rudd fell in quick succession and when Hall was out, it was left to Emily Gerke (57) to try and steer her side to victory. She hit a maiden half-century, but when she was run out Berks ran out of steam, despite only needing 11 off the last four overs with two wickets in hand. They took it to the last over, needing three to win, but Immy Brown was caught in the gully off the first ball of Rachel Candy's over to get Surrey home

Game 6 - Kent v Sussex
Kent 185/7 (Deanna Cooper 82*, Holly Colvin 2/13, Ellen Burt 2/26)
Sussex 185/7 (Izzy Collis 63*, Charlotte Pape 2/32) in 50 overs.
Match tied ***Kent are appealing the result to the ECB***[see ECB statement here]
An extraordinary game of cricket that ended in a tie, when Sussex sneaked a single off the last ball as Kent erroneously believed the ball to be dead as it was in the keeper's gloves, and started to celebrate what they thought was a win.
Sussex will be kicking themselves for not winning this match. They had Kent 56/5 with Tammy Beaumont (0), Lydia Greenway (8) and Charlotte Edwards (27) back in the hutch, before a fine innings of 82 from Deanna Cooper (not selected the previous day and her highest score for Kent by some way) took Kent to a respectable, but gettable, 185/7. Cooper and keeper, Lauren Griffiths (27), salvaged Kent's innings with a stand of 87 for the sixth wicket, as Sussex failed to hammer home their early advantage, based on a good opening spell from Ellen Burt (2/26), and another stunning legside stumping from Sarah Taylor off Georgia Elwiss, to remove Edwards.
Sussex got off to a rollicking start in reply through Georgia Elwiss, before she was brilliantly caught by Beaumont in the gully from a slashing drive off Farrant. Sussex's 50 came up in the 9th over, but when Alexia Walker (18) fell in the 10th over the scoring dried up, as Sussex failed to look for singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The next 50 runs took another 16 overs and when Sarah Taylor (26) was out in the 27th over Sussex were 104/3, needing 82 off 23 overs. Holly Colvin departed for 14 in the 38th over by which time Sussex had only moved the score on to 133/4. 53 were still needed off 12 overs. The equation came down to 34 off the last 6 overs before Sussex seemed to realise the urgency of the situation. Singles began to be taken freely, although boundaries remained completely elusive (not one was hit in the last 15 overs). Ultimately Sussex needed five to win off the last over, and then two to win off the last ball, bowled by Kent skipper Edwards. She bowled the ball, it was missed by batsmen Ellen Burt and taken by Griffiths behind the stumps, who then removed a bail in a failed attempted stumping. The Kent team, as one, began to celebrate an unlikely victory, but non-striker Izzy Collis (63*) was already halfway down the track looking for a single. She called her partner through for the bye, as Kent continued to celebrate. Despite Kent's protests the umpires rightly adjudicated that the ball was not dead just because it was in the wicket-keeper's gloves, as Sussex were attempting a run. The run therefore stood and the game was tied.

Game 7 - Notts v Lancs Thunder
Lancs 141 all out (Natalie Brown 26, Jenny Gunn 2/20, Sonia Odedra 2/30)
Notts 142/5 (Jane Smit 31, Nalisha Patel 3/24) in 46.5 overs
Notts won by 5 wickets
New girls Lancs Thunder came unstuck in their first game in the "Big Time" as they were bowled out for 141. Their top order all made starts, but no-one could go on to make a significant score as Notts shared the wickets around. At 73/4 with Gunn and Wyatt out Lancs might have sniffed an unlikely win, but Aussie Zoe Richards came in at 7 and smashed a quick-fire 28 off 16 balls to bring the game to an abrupt ending.

Game 8 - Warks v Yorks 
Yorks 207/9 (Lauren Winfield 64, G Davies 3/28)
Warwks 121/8 (Katie Levick 5/19)Yorks won by 86 runs
Yorkshire bounced back from their defeat to Kent on Sunday with a convincing win over Warwickshire, It helped that they had Brunt, Hazell, Macdonald and Winfield back in the fold, particularly as Winfield top scored with 64. Brunt then took two early wickets, but it was Katie Levick's legspin which put paid to Warwickshire's chances. She took 5/19 which ensured Warwickshire ended well short.

Div 2 Review

Game 1 - Devon v Essex
Essex 98 all out (Karen Baker 21, Cait O'Keefe 2/13, Hazelle Garton 2/17, Jodie Dibble 2/18)
Devon 99/6 (Cait O'Keefe 19, Hannah Courtnell 3/28)
Devon won by 4 wickets
Only Karen Baker (21) and Beth Langston (20) got into double figures for Essex as they struggled to make any headway against the Devon attack. After an opening stand of 34 Devon lost three quick wickets in the 40s, to be 45/4 at one stage, but recovered their composure to defeat an Essex side who look like they may struggle again this season, despite the drop in divisions.

Game 2 - Staffs v Somerset - cancelled due to rain

Game 3 - Wales v Scotland - cancelled due to rain

Game 4 - Worcs v Ireland
Ireland 315/5 (Isobel Joyce 127*, Meg Kendal 56*, Abigail Houghton 3/49)
Worcs 189 all out (Rachel Baldwin 47, Laura Delany 3/27)
Ireland won by 126 runs
Isobel Joyce got her, and Ireland's, season off to a flying start hitting an unbeaten 127 in Ireland's massive total of 315, against the Div 2 underdogs Worcs. She shared an unbroken stand of 150 for the sixth wicket with New Zealand import, Meg Kendal.
In reply Worcs batted well to reach a creditable 189 with decent contributions from the top and middle order, but never looked like troubling Ireland's huge total.

Game 5  - Devon v Durham
Devon 268/4 (Amara Carr 95, Aylish Cranstone 60)
Durham 102 all out (Jodie Dibble 3/19)
Devon won by 166 runs
Openers Amara Carr (95) and Aylish Cranstone (60) put on 144 for the first wicket for Devon, which set the platform for a sizeable total, which Durham never got close to overcoming. They were bowled out in the 42nd over for 102 with Jodie Dibble the chief wicket-taker (3/19).

Game 6 - Somerset v Ireland
Somerset 223/9 (Sophie Luff 65, Gwenan Davies 52, Louise McCarthy 2/35)
Ireland 65 all out (Anya Shrubsole 2/9, Lauren Shrubsole 2/9, Jeny Withers 2/23)
Somerset won by 158 runs
Ireland came crashing back down to earth after their huge win against Worcs on Sunday when they were on the other end of a hiding from title-chasers Somerset. South African Lizelle Lee missed out at the top of the Somerset order, but Welsh import Gwenan Davies (52) and Sophie Luff (65) set up the Somerset innings with a stand of 83. Skipper Anya Shrubsole (37) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but the Somerset innings fell away towards the end to leave them slightly short of where they might have expected to be. But it proved to be plenty as Ireland subsided to 65 all out in less than 25 overs with only Gaby Lewis (28) scoring above 14 and four players picking up ducks, including the previous day's heroine Isobel Joyce.

Game 7 - Staffs v Scotland
Scotland 194 all out (Kirstie Gordon 60*, Kathryn Whyle 3/40)
Staffs 196 for 5 (Evelyn Jones 54) in 43.5 overs
Staffs won by 5 wickets
Having had their game the previous day rained off this was Scotland's debut in Div 2. Promising youngster Kirstie Gordon (60*) top-scored for the Scots with a maiden half-century, but found little support from the Scot's middle and late order batsmen. Staffs made a solid if unspectacular start to their reply through Evelyn Jones (56) and Charlotte Whyle (26). Scotland took the occasional wicket but could never really impose too much pressure on Staffs who knocked off the required runs in the 44th over.

Game 8 - Wales v Essex
Wales 217/6 (Lauren Parfitt 109*)
Essex 133 all out (Beth Langston 65, Claire Thomas 3/22)
Wales consigned Essex to their second defeat of the weekend as opener Lauren Parfitt scored her maiden Wales Senior's century, in her 60th knock for her country. Opening bowler Beth Langston could not break through with the ball for Essex, but she did hold the faltering Essex reply together with 65 off 101 balls. Karen Baker (19) was the only other Essex batsman to make double figures, as Essex stumbled to 133 all out in the 41st over.

MD
5/V/15

County Champs - Div 1 - First weekend preview

The Women's Royal London One Day Championship (that's what the rules call it) starts in just two days. You cannot actually win the County Championship in the first weekend, but you can certainly go a long way towards winning it. With just eight games scheduled to be played, by Monday evening most teams will be a quarter of the way through their season (weather permitting of course).

County champions Kent should be at full strength, given that none of their England players are currently in Sri Lanka learning how to become spin bowlers, or learning how to bat against spin bowlers. The only doubt would seem to be Laura Marsh, who pulled out of going to Sri Lanka with an apparent thigh injury. Yorkshire, on the other hand could be without Lauren Winfield, Dani Hazell, Alex Macdonald and Katherine Brunt (all currently in Sri Lanka). It could be embarrassing for Yorkshire. Kent are likely to make it two out of two on Sunday when they meet a weakened Sussex team, missing several key players through injury, restriction and exams, and without overseas signing Erin Osborne. But Sussex will have Holly Colvin back in their ranks which should add some spice to the game.

On the previous day Sussex will have met with last year's runners-up, Surrey. If Sussex can put enough runs on the board then they can dent Surrey's chances of going one better this year. Sussex will be hoping to keep Nat Sciver quiet and contain overseas player Rachel Candy to avoid a second defeat to Surrey in two years. Sussex should come out on top. They need to win this one if they are to have any chance at the 2015 title.

Surrey are then off to North Maidenhead for their Bank Holiday Monday encounter with Berkshire. If Surrey can take the key wicket of England vice-captain Heather Knight they should come away with their first win of the season.

Berkshire (without Knight) will have been at Middlesex the previous day, in their only game of the weekend, and Middlesex look favourites to come away with a win from that game, if they can build on their T20 form from last season. New skipper Izzy Westbury will be leading from the front in her Lillee-esque headband no doubt.

Notts start their 2015 campaign against Warwickshire at their home ground at Welbeck CC on Sunday. Its a good batting track with plenty of runs in it, and if Danni Wyatt is free to play (which seems unlikely), she could make hay. She is currently having a great time with the bat in Sri Lanka, and will be keen to press for an Ashes squad place. Warwickshire will hope Amy Jones is fit enough to play, and that Becky Grundy (also in Sri Lanka) is allowed to play. Notts might just pip a close game.

Notts second game of the weekend will see the first appearance of Lancashire in Division 1. It could be the game of the weekend, as the LCB Thunder look to get off to a winning start. They have done a great job off the pitch, and will now hope to emulate that on the pitch. But Notts will be a tough start to life in Div 1. Early wickets from Kate Cross could be the key to a Lancs win.

The final game of the first weekend is Warwickshire v Yorkshire. It is a game that both teams will be targeting as a "must-win", which could add to the pressure on both batsmen and bowlers. It could be a nervy low-scoring affair, with Yorkshire (restored to full strength), perhaps, just getting over the line.

There will be a round-up of all the results and performances early next week. If you think there is something I should include then email me - wcb@lawdox.co.uk

Div 1 Fixtures
Sunday 3rd May
Middlesex v Berks at Edmonton CC
Kent v Yorkshire at KCCC Beckenham
Notts v Warwickshire at Welbeck CC
Surrey v Sussex at Reeds School

Monday 4th May
Berks v Surrey at North Maidenhead
Kent v Sussex at KCCC Beckenham
Notts v LCB Thunder (the cricket team formerly known as Lancashire) at Welbeck CC
Warwickshire v Yorkshire at Moseley CC

MD
1/V/15

Women's County Championship 2015 Div 1 Squads, Preview & Fixtures

The nine teams in Division 1 for 2015 will be - Berkshire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. The first games will be played on Sunday 3rd May and the last scheduled weekend is 13th September, although games can be played up until 28th September 2015.

Essex were relegated from Division 1 last year and Lancashire were promoted to Division 1 after finishing top of Division 2. Warwickshire retained their place in Division 1 by beating second in Div 2, Somerset, in the play-off last year.

Each team will play each other just once and the team that finishes top of Division One at the end of the season will be the champions. There will be no Championship Play-Off. The teams that finish 8th and 9th will be automatically relegated to Division 2 for the 2016 season. The teams that finish 1st and 2nd in Division 2 will be automatically promoted to Division 1 for the 2016 season. The full rules are here.

Positions in the league will again be decided on the average number of points a team achieves from completed, but not cancelled or abandoned games (which are ignored). Teams are awarded 10 points for a win and 5 points for a tie. No points are awarded for an abandoned game. An abandoned game cannot be replayed, but a cancelled game can, Up to 4 batting (RR of 4 RPO required) and 4 bowling bonus points (9+ wickets) can be achieved, making a maximum of 18 points per completed game.

Kent won last year's rain-affected championship winning all six games that they played. They failed to play Berkshire and Essex. They were worthy champions though winning most of their games at a canter led by Charlotte Edwards (491 runs) and Tammy Beaumont (417 runs) with the bat and Kiwi import Erin Bermingham (leg-spinner, with 16 wickets) with the ball. With traditional rivals Sussex having a poor season (won three lost three), it was Surrey that finished second, winning five of the seven games they played. Notts won four of the seven they played, but finished fourth behind Berkshire who only managed to play five of their scheduled games (winning three of them).

This season is the first with a white ball, and the first in which county games clash with international fixtures. In fact with the Ashes being played here this summer it is doubtful that any side will see their international players between mid-June and the end of August - this covers four fixture weekends. This will undoubtedly affect some teams more than others, but it effectively throws the County Championship wide open. Kent will be strong when they have their England contingent with them, but do they have players to call on when they are away? Middlesex, on the other hand, will have the same squad available for all their games. The fixtures have fallen nicely for them and they have a real chance of being there or thereabouts come the end of the season. Berks, Notts and Yorkshire will suffer without their England players, but Sussex may have enough strength in depth to weather the shortage. New girls Lancs are also likely to trouble a few teams in their first season back in Div 1. Surrey were last year's surprise package and they will fancy their chances of going one better than last year. With only eight games to be played this could be the most open County Championship for years.

Berkshire (3rd in 2014)
Colours : Black, Green and Gold
Overseas Players : Alex Blackwell/Corrine Hall
England Players : Heather Knight
England Academy Players : Carla Rudd
The addition of Aussie legend Alex Blackwell to the team for the County Championship games on 24th and 25th May will be a brief, but huge, boost to Heather Knight and her team. If they can win those two games then they may well be safe in Div 1 for another year. They will miss Knight when she is on England duty, so it is important that they start the season well.
Squad (with shirt numbers): Heather Knight (5) capt, Alex Rogers (1), Carla Rudd, wkt (2), Georgia Dean (3), Lissy Macleod (4), , Emily Gerke (6), Daisy Gardener (7), Imogen Brown (8), Amanda Potgieter (9), Rachael Hardy (10). Fi Morris (11), Alex Blackwell (12), Sherisa Gumbs (15), Linsey Smith (16), Corrine Hall (17), Isa Guha (19)

Kent (Champions in 2014)
Colours : Blue
Overseas Player : To be announced in April
England Players : Tammy Beaumont, Charlotte Edwards, Tash Farrant, Lydia Greenway, Laura Marsh
England Academy Players : None 
Kent's record in the County Championship cannot be denied, and last year they trounced all teams they played. But without some, or all, of their England players they are likely to find it much harder this year. Last year their batting was dominated by Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards (900+ runs between them). Their bowling was dominated by New Zealander Erin Bermingham, who it seems is not returning for the 2015 season. An announcement on a new overseas player is due in April it seems. Edwards, at least, is likely to miss several matches. Contracted England players Beaumont and Farrant are likely to be available, but Kent's batting will look a bit thin without possibly Edwards, Greenway and Marsh.
Squad (with shirt numbers): Charlotte Edwards capt (23), Tammy Beaumont (2), Megan Belt (6), Lottie Bryan (19), Deanna Cooper (4), Alice Davidson-Richards (24), Tash Farrant (53), Phoebe Franklin (10), Grace Gibbs (61), Lydia Greenway (20), Lauren Griffiths (14), Jenni Jackson (11), Hannah Jelfs (18), Laura Marsh (7), Charlotte Pape (8), Emily Thompson (17)

Lancashire Thunder (Promoted as Div 2 Champions)
Colours : Red
Overseas player : Meg Phillips
England Players : Kate Cross
England Academy Players : Emma Lamb
Lancashire finally made it into Div 1 as 2014 Div 2 Champions, having missed out in 2013, and having been in Div 3 just four years ago. They are a team on the up, with a very professional attitude to the game and will be a tough team to beat. Emma Lamb had a much quieter season with the bat last year and it will be interesting to see how the England Academy girl goes in the top flight. Kate Cross frequently made useful runs last year, so she will be missed for this as well as her bowling skills when on England duty. Young off-spinner Nalisha Patel however was the team's leading wicket-taker in the league last year. Her technique and confidence will be put to the test this year.
They start their season with away games in May against Notts, Kent and Middlesex. It could be a baptism of fire.
Squad (with shirt numbers) : Jasmine Titmuss (3) capt, Natalie Brown (10), Jessica Couser (9), Kate Cross (16), Rachel Dickinson (17), Bhumika Doshi (14), Sophie Ecclestone (19), Megan Fairclough (4), Georgia Holmes (2), Hannah Jones (7), Emma Lamb (6), Laura Marshall (12), Shachi Pai (18), Nalisha Patel (15), Meg Phillips (1), Eleanor Threlkeld (21)

Middlesex (6th in 2014)
Colours : Blue and Pink
Overseas Player : None
England Players : None
England Academy Players : Alex Hartley, Fran Wilson
Middlesex have a new captain in Izzy Westbury and a new batsman in the shape of Fran Wilson from Somerset. Westbury will still have the help and guidance of the experienced Beth Morgan, who marshalled her side beautifully last year. A young side with some exciting young talent - look out for Sophia Dunkley with both bat and ball, who will not be affected by England call-ups. Expect the unexpected. If they get a decent start and believe in themselves then they could be battling it out at the top of the table come September. Their fixtures against Sussex and Kent are nicely timed.
Squad : Izzy Westbury capt, Natasha Miles, Catherine Dalton, Fran Wilson, Beth Morgan, Anna Nicholls, Sophia Dunkley, India Whitty, Ria Ravel, Alex Hartley, Danni Warren, Millie Pope, Naomi Dattani, Hannah Wakeman, Maia Bouchier 

Nottinghamshire (4th in 2014)
Colours : Green & Gold
Overseas player : Zoe Richards
England Players : Jenny Gunn, Danni Wyatt
England Academy Players : Sonia Odedra
Jenny Gunn has handed over the captaincy to Sonia Odedra for this season and she will be hoping that Danni Wyatt and Gunn have as good a season with the bat as they did last year. Young Georgie Boyce is also a name to look out for with the bat. With the ball Odedra will miss last year's opening partner, Aussie Megan Schutt, and may have to juggle her bowling resources well. Their season could depend on how many of their England players are required on duty for their country. If Wyatt stays with them throughout the season then they are likely to do quite well.
Squad : Sonia Odedra capt, Georgie Boyce, Amy Gauvrit, Jenny Gunn, Abbey Hawkins, Hannah Hughes, Lucy Maxwell, Zoe Richards, Jane Smit, Ruth Sprawson, Esther Stock, Shelby Sutton, Olivia Thornton, Bethany Unwin, Rebecca Widdowson, Danielle Wyatt

Surrey (2nd in 2014)
Colours : Brown
Overseas player : Rachel Candy
England Players : Nat Sciver
England Academy Players : 
Last year veteran leg-spinner Sarah Clarke led the Surrey wicket-takers, and Nat Sciver the run-scorers (courtesy mainly of 154 against Notts). It is difficult to see them repeating last year's heroics and finishing in the top three, but new Director of Women's Cricket, Ebony Rainford-Brent will be keen that her 1st XI have a good season. New Zealander Rachel Candy returns for her second season with the county, and her experience will be invaluable, but she will not be able to do it all on her own. She had an indifferent season in 2014 and may have to contribute more with both bat and ball if Surrey are to feature this year.
Squad - yet to be announced

Sussex (5th in 2014)
Colours : Black 
Overseas player : Erin Osborne
England Players : Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Taylor
England Academy Players : Georgia Adams, Freya Davies, Paige Scholfield
Sussex welcome back former England international Holly Colvin after a year out of the game, and she and overseas off-spinner Erin Osborne, could wreak havoc with the ball in the first few games of the season. Batting may be more of an issue for Sussex, but they bat long and they may well need to once Sarah Taylor, and possibly Georgia Elwiss, are called away on England duties. Last year's campaign was a huge disappointment to a talented squad, but their 2015 campaign could be defined in the first weekend when they meet Surrey and then Kent.
Squad  (with shirt numbers): Sarah Taylor (30) capt, Georgia Adams (13), Flora Bertwhistle (55), Ellen Burt (8), Izy Collis (22), Holly Colvin (10), Freya Davies (3), Georgia Elwiss (34), Abbey Freeborn (29), Chiara Green (14), Anna Harris (77), Megan Janman (5), Izi Noakes (12), Tara Norris (24), Erin Osborne (67), Hannah Phelps (19), Jess Saunders (44), Paige Scholfield (45), Tanya Wake (4), Alexia Walker (7)

Warwickshire (8th in 2014 beat Somerset in play-off to remain in Div 1)
Colours : Blue & Yellow
England Players : , Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones
England Academy Players : Georgia Hennessy
Warwickshire struggled last season winning just one of their six games that they played and that against bottom of the table Essex (albeit that they won that by 311 runs!). Apart from that game Warwickshire struggled for runs last year. Amy Jones will have had winter experience in New Zealand, Dubai and Sri Lanka, so should hit the ground running with the bat. She may need to. Warwickshire showed a great deal of character to beat Somerset in last year's play-off with a memorable maiden century from Helen Shipman, and great late order batting from Liz Russell and Isabelle Watson. Warwickshire will hope Shipman is fit to play more games this year and that Georgia Hennessy can bat and bowl as she did against Surrey last year in the opening game of the season (84 and 5/38).
Squad : Nadia Bacciochi, Louise Brazier, Jessica Crawley, Laura Crofts, Georgia Davis, Tiarna Paris Gilkes, Kate Green, Becky Grundy, Georgia Hennessy, Miriam Heritage, Amy Jones, Marie Kelly, Sian Kelly, Anisha Patel, Liz Russell, Liz Smart, Isabelle Watson, Mina Zahoor.

Yorkshire (7th in 2014)
Colours : Purple & Black
Overseas player : Beth Mooney
England Players : Katherine Brunt, Dani Hazell, Lauren Winfield
England Academy Players : Hollie Armitage, Alex Macdonald
Came down to earth with a bump in 2014 winning just two games, against Essex and Berkshire, after reaching the Play-Off Final in 2013. Captain Lauren Winfield was the mainstay with the bat, and they will miss her greatly if she is on England duty, or injured (as currently). They will also miss Kathryn Doherty, who is not available this season. Aimee Simms managed 10 wickets last year, but will also miss 2015, which means Bea Firth and Alex Macdonald will need to lead the attack when Brunt and Hazell are unavailable. It could be another tough year for them.
Squad (with shirt numbers): Lauren Winfield (10), Cecilia Allen (12), Katherine Brunt (2), Hannah Buck (5), Ami Campbell (6), Beatrice Firth (7), Elise Good (14), Dani Hazell (4), Katie Levick (3), Alex Macdonald (9), Beth Mooney (16), Kennedy Nuttall (13), Laura Spragg (11), Katie Thompson (8), Maddy Walsh (15), Jess Watson (1)

Fixtures

Sunday 3rd May
Middlesex v Berks at Edmonton CC
Kent v Yorkshire at KCCC Beckenham
Notts v Warwickshire at Welbeck CC
Surrey v Sussex at Reeds School

Monday 4th May
Berks v Surrey at North Maidenhead
Kent v Sussex at KCCC Beckenham
Notts v Lancs at Welbeck CC
Warwickshire v Yorkshire at Moseley CC

Sunday 24th May
Berks v Notts at Finchampstead CC
Kent v Lancs at Spitfire Ground St Lawrence
Surrey v Middx at Reeds School
Sussex v Warwickshire at East Grinstead CC

Monday 25th May
Berks v Yorkshire at Finchampstead CC
Kent v Notts at Spitfire Ground St Lawrence
Middx v Lancs at Edmonton CC
Surrey v Warwickshire at Reeds School

Sunday 21st June
Warwickshire v Kent at Egbaston Foundation Ground
Lancs v Surrey at Urmston CC
Sussex v Notts at Billingshurst CC
Yorkshire v Middx at Harrogate CC

Sunday 19th July
Lancs v Berks at Wigan CC
Surrey v Kent at Kia Oval
Sussex v Middx at the County Ground Hove
Notts v Yorkshire at Welbeck CC

Sunday 30th August
Lancs v Sussex at Wigan CC
Middx v Kent at Merchant Taylor's School
Warwickshire v Berks at Wellesbourne CC
Yorkshire v Surrey at Harrogate CC

Monday 31st August
Berks v Kent at North Maidenhead CC
Lancs v Warwickshire at Urmston CC
Middx v Notts at Edmonton CC
Yorkshire v Sussex at Harrogate CC

Sunday 13th September
Notts v Surrey at Welbeck CC
Sussex v Berkshire at Horsham CC
Warwickshire v Middx at Egbaston Foundation Ground
Yorks v Lancs at Harrogate CC

MD
27/III/15