Round 6 of the One Day Cup

On a weekend that saw the England World Cup squad dressed in fatigues yomping around the countryside with the British Army, the rest of the professional cricketers simply got on with playing some cricket. 

Round 6 saw a first defeat for Hampshire; another 100 for Charis Pavely; a five wicket haul for Charley Phillips; and a Dutch vergissing. 

Durham v The Blaze
The Blaze 240/8 beat Durham 148 ao by 92 runs
Once again The Blaze's top order went AWOL and the fact they got to post a mediocre 240/8 was almost entirely down to captain Kirstie Gordon, who scored a resolute 60* coming in at 8. She is currently The Blaze's third top run scorer and tops their batting averages! Mention should also be made of 19 year old Prisha Thanawala, who scored a pleasing 47 on debut.
Durham had moved serenely on to 29 without loss in the 6th over when the wheels on their bus suddenly fell off, as they lost five wickets for 22 runs, four of them to pacer Charley Phillips (5/49). Emily Windsor and Grace Thompson dug in for 41 and 49 respectively, but they were merely delaying the inevitable, as Durham were bowled out in the 40th over for just 148

Lancashire v Hampshire
Hampshire 153 ao lost to Lancashire 157/4
Hampshire travelled to Old Trafford unbeaten, but came away having been handed a chastening defeat. Having been asked to bat first Hampshire made their usual ponderous start having lost Bouchier early. After 10 overs they had meandered to just 29/1. When both Norgrove (20 off 49) and McCaugahan (30 off 58) fell Hampshire's vulnerable middle order was exposed. They capitulated and Hampshire were bowled out for 153 in the 43rd over, despite 32 from Amanda Jade Wellington.
It was never enough, and Lancashire romped home following an opening partnership of 93 between, who else, but Emma Lamb (56) and Eve Jones (47). Brief import, Aussie Maddy Penna, helped herself to a belligerent 36* ending the game with a 6.

Warwickshire v Somerset
Warwickshire 336 ao beat Somerset 302 ao by 34 runs
Almost as many runs are being scored at Edgbaston this year as were scored at Beckenham last year. With a good wicket, and a consistently short boundary on one side, it is a matter of who can smash the most runs. It is a scenario which is suiting Charis Pavely at the moment, who likes to give the ball some serious welly. She followed up her 128 here four days ago with another 127 (off 103 balls) to allow Warwickshire to post 336, with skipper Davis stumped off the penultimate ball. Surrey loanee Alexa Stonehouse also enjoyed the short boundary with a quickfire 58* off 35 balls.
Without their England contingent, and their skipper Sophie Luff, who suffered a concussion in the field, Somerset looked up against it, but to their credit they battled well, although they never really threatened victory. Niamh Holland made a combative 65 and Chloe Skelton an encouraging late order 51. It took Somerset beyond 300, but still well short of victory.

Yorkshire v Essex
Essex 270/8 beat Yorkshire 257 ao by 13 runs
Essex looked set to post over 300 after Cordelia Griffith (69) and Grace Scrivens (36) laid the foundation with an opening stand of 97 in just under 19 overs, but, when in form Jodi Grewcock was needlessly run out, the last 10 overs produced only 70 more runs. 270 looked eminently gettable.
All the more so as Lauren Winfield-Hill put her two previous ducks behind her with an authoratative 83 off 73 balls. At 211/4 with 14 overs to go Yorkshire were in the driving seat, despite being without influential Aussie Jess Jonassen (who had returned to Australia for some R&R). They needed just 60 at just over four an over, with Sterre Kalis seemingly well in control. But Kalis ran out partners Maddie Ward and Rachel Slater, lost Langston and Cooper (to a stunning catch by Grewcock) and then proceeded to take an unnecessary single to leave number 11 Jess Woolston on strike with only 14 needed off 24 balls. Woolston was bowled by Grewcock. Yorkshire had lost and Kalis was 65*. 
This was a game Yorkshire will have targeted and they should have won. 

Martin Davies
03/V/2026

Remarkable Round Five Round-Up

What a magnificent day of women's county cricket the fifth round of the One Day Cup has just provided! If you weren't at a game then why not?

The headlines were :-

• No less than five individual hundreds
• Two great run chases
• One almost great run chase
• And a final ball thriller

Hampshire v Surrey
Hampshire 272/5 v Surrey 259 ao - Hampshire won by 13 runs
Inserted by Surrey Hampshire made serene, if rather languid, progress to 272/5 with the top four batters rarely troubled by the Surrey attack. Abi Norgrove helped herself to 81* off 81 balls and Maia Bouchier, who had just been told that she had not made either the England World Cup squad or the ODI squad, 78 off 91 balls. Despite a good platform Hampshire could not kick on to a big score in excess of 300. 272 looked eminently gettable.
However when Surrey succumbed to 81/6 it looked anything but, but Danni Wyatt had only just walked to the crease at number 7 for Surrey. When she left, with 119 runs to her name, Surrey were within 22 runs of victory and still had 14 balls to come. The trouble was they only had one wicket, having lost their previous three to run outs. Eight balls later Danni Gregory became the fourth run out victim in a row as Hampshire claimed the win and went to the top of the table.

Somerset v Essex
Somerset 268/9 v Essex 269/5 - Essex won by 5 wickets
Somerset, denuded of their England players - Knight, Dean and Gibson - without reason given, were perhaps the underdogs in this game, despite Essex's inability to win a game until now. As it was they posted a challenging 268/9 thanks to 56 from overseas Anika Learoyd, 79 from young keeper Katie Jones and 53* from all-rounder Alex Griffiths. The question was could Essex hold their nerve in the run chase?
At 21/3 the answer seemed to be No. All hope seemed to be pinned on 21 year old England hopeful Jodi Grewcock. She has been in sparkling form with the bat this season with previous scores of 80, 77 and 44. Essex needed her to go big....and she obliged! With assistance from Jo Gardner (50) and Flo Miller (54*) Grewcock hit a serene 120* to secure Essex's first victory of the 2026 season. She has rightly been named in England's ODI squad v New Zealand and it would be good to see her given the chance to shine on the international stage.

The Blaze v Warwickshire
Warwickshire 302/5 v The Blaze 303/7 - The Blaze won by 3 wickets
Warwickshire's imposing total of 302/5 was built around a One Day Cup record stand of 197 between Katie George (98) and Charis Pavely (128*) as The Blaze's bowlers toiled in vain at Trent Bridge. 
No doubt the Warwickshire camp were feeling pretty confident going into the second innings, and 40 overs in, with The Blaze on 198/4 and still needing 105 off the last 10 overs, they would have been gently shepherding their chickens towards the counting machine. But the heroine of lost causes, Orla Prendergast (56 off 31) and the canny Georgia Elwiss (31 off 17), scattered the chickens to all parts of the field. A series of double-digit overs took the equation to 48 off the last five overs, and then 17 off the last two, although Prendergast had perished to the last ball of the 48th. Wong got Elwiss with the second ball of the next over, but then proceeded to bowl a legside full toss to Higham which she gratefully swotted for 4. As Wong looked to get out of the over she bowled another waist-high full toss to Gordon who smashed it for 6. The Blaze claimed the two they needed from the first two balls of the last over for another Get Out of Jail win.

Yorkshire v Durham

Durham 290/8 v Yorkshire 290 ao - Match tied
In a game that resembled a festival match between Current Yorkies and Old Yorkies it seemed inevitable that this would be a game that would swing violently to and fro. 
Having lost their top four for just 53 Durham looked to be in a whole heap of trouble, but for once their middle order came to the party, albeit with some assistance from the Yorkshire fielding. Bess Heath made a belligerant 70 off 52 balls and Phoebe Turner ran a couple off the last ball of the Durham innings to take her to a maiden List A 100. After their batting performance on Saturday against Hampshire (bowled out for 118) 290/8 looked a reasonable return against the Tier One newbies.
Yorkshire were once again indebted to Jess Jonassen (104) for keeping them in the game as she struck her second consecutive ton. Ably assisted by Sterre Kalis (79) Yorkshire needed just 62 off the last 10 overs with 5 wickets in hand. It should have been a stroll in the park, but a tad too much strolling led to a string of careless run outs. Suddenly Yorkshire were 269/9. They still only needed a run a ball but the last pair were at the crease. By hook or by crook they took the game to the last over still needing 10 to win. When Rachel Slater pumped the second ball of the over careering over the square leg boundary for 6, just three were needed off four balls. A dot and two singles left the scores tied with a ball to come. Slater swung, missed, ran and keeper Wilson underarmed the ball at the stumps from ten metres and hit. Woolston was run out and the game was tied.

Martin Davies
30/IV/2026

One Day Cup - Round Four

Champions Lancashire committed the cardinal sin of losing to Yorkshire in the Roses match; Essex somehow got themselves into a winning position and still lost; Somerset handed Surrey a severe beating down in the sunny West Country; and Durham forgot to turn up against Hampshire.
Just another day in the One Day Cup!
It all means that :-

• Somerset are the only team with a 100% record
• Last year's champs have only won one out of four
• Essex have yet to win a game

We review the games below, but for now the table looks like this, with the next round of games on Wednesday, when England players should again be available.

Essex v The Blaze
Essex 213 ao lost to The Blaze 215/7 by 3 wickets

At one stage Essex looked like they could be bowled out for less than 170, with only Jodi Grewcock (44) and Sophia Smale (34) making runs in the top order, but Amara Carr (50) shepherded the tail to another 58 runs off the last 10 overs to take Essex to a below par 213 all out. 
But within 37 balls of The Blaze's reply they had lost England players Beaumont, Sciver-Brunt (for a golden duck) and Jones, and Scottish skipper Bryce, to be precariously poised at 22/4. Marie Kelly (37) and Georgia Elwiss (30) staged a mini comeback, but when that petered out the game seemed to be Essex's to take with The Blaze still needing 109 with only three wickets in hand. But Orla Prendergast (69*) and Kirstie Gordon (47*) had other ideas as they calmly restored order and took The Blaze home within 40 overs for the bonus point win.

Hampshire v Durham
Durham 118 ao lost to Hampshire 121/4 by 6 wickets
It will have been a long coach journey home for Durham who simply did not turn up at the Utilita Bowl. Having made a steady, if unspectacular, start Durham found themselves at 100/5 halfway through their innings, with early batters having found ways to get themselves out. They needed to dig in, but instead they shipped out. Lauren Bell returned to bowl having taken 0/18 off her first four unremarkable overs. She proceeded to wipe out the remains of the Durham innings taking 5/4 in 25 balls as Durham crumbled to 118 all out. 
It was always going to be a walk in the park, particularly with 30 runs off the first 3 overs, which saw opening bowlers Filer and Turner immediately relieved of their duties. Hampshire contrived to lose four wickets in the chase, but got home in less than half the stipulated overs

Lancashire v Yorkshire
Yorkshire 241 ao beat Lancashire 158 ao by 83 runs
The first pro Lancashire v Yorkshire game went the way of the White Roses, courtesy of an Australian, who probably has no idea where the Pennines are. Together with Dutch batter Sterre Kalis, Jess Jonassen added 109 for the third wicket, and then took her team to nearly 200, before she was out for 108 in the 41st over. Yorkshire could only muster 45 more after her departure leaving them with only 241 runs on the board. Kate Cross claimed her first wickets of the season with 4/38. But Lancashire's batting without Emma Lamb and Gaby Lewis, both injured, looked somewhat threadbare, and so it proved. 
Run-getter Jonassen turned wicket-taker, ripping out the Lancashire middle order, from which they never recovered. They eventually subsided to 158 all out in the 42nd over, with, you guessed it, Jonassen taking the last wicket to fall to end with 4/30.

Somerset v Surrey
Somerset 337/9 beat Surrey 201 ao by 136 runs
Somerset flayed Surrey's toothless bowling attack to all parts of the County Ground at Taunton, with Heather Knight helping herself to 103 and Dani Gibson 77 (off 37), as they notched up 337/9 in their 50 overs. Maitlan Brown took 4/57 and Dani Gregory 3/57. Surrey went out hard in reply and lost Smith and Scholfield early, but after Alice Capsey (59) and Alice Davidson-Richards (48) were out the writing was on the wall, and they were bowled out with nearly 17 overs to come for just 201. Live by the sword, die by the sword seems to be the new Surrey motto!

Martin Davies
27/IV/2026

Round Three of the Women's One Day Cup

Sunday's game between Lancashire and Somerset concluded the third round of games in the Metro Bank One Day Cup. It is early days, but Surrey are the big winners to date and Essex the big losers. Surrey have won all three of their games and Essex have yet to open their account. 

Here's what happened this weekend....

Essex v Warwickshire
Essex 157 ao v Warwickshire 160/5 (40.4 overs)
Essex's poor start to the season hit a new low as they were bowled out for just 157, 59 of which came off the blade of Grace Scrivens. Gardner and Smale were the only other Essex batters to get into double figures. Was it down to spectacular Warwickshire bowling? Well...No. Five Warwickshire bowlers helped themselves to a couple of wickets as the Essex innings subsided within 40 overs. Warwickshire could take their time in their reply and they did, with Davina Perrin hitting 43 off 59, and the non-bowling Katie George an undefeated 42 off 71. It was unspectacular, but effective. 

Yorkshire v The Blaze
Yorkshire 280/9 v The Blaze 210 ao
I doubt that The Blaze were one of Yorkshire's "targetted teams", according to skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill, that they thought they could be competitive against. However on a day when The Blaze bowling attack looked completely out of salts, bowling 20 wides, and LWH (90) and Jess Jonassen (67) stayed at the crease long enough to make meaningful contributions, compete they could. 
The fact that they got to 280/7 rather than 240 was almost entirely down to Sterre Kalis who was only out in the last over having scored 61 off 42 balls. She treated each of the eight Blaze bowlers with equal disdain. 
But still 281 was not an ungettable score until The Blaze's bowling woes turned into batting woes. While Marie Kelly (56) and Katherine Bryce (55) were at the crease they had hope, but from 126/1 they slithered to 162/8 with Jess Jonassen (4/18) leading the charge. Only a rearguard action by Kirstie Gordon (24) and Grace Ballinger (29) saved The Blaze further blushes, but they were still bowled out in the 42nd over for a chastening defeat for them and Yorkshire's first win at Tier One level.

Durham v Surrey
Durham 256/8 v Surrey 258/7 (36.4 overs)
With all the England players available (although Dunkley chose not to play) on paper this was a game that Surrey should have won with one hand tied behind their back. As it was Durham posted a reasonable score of 256/8, courtesy of a fine century partnership between skipper Hollie Armitage (106) and Mady Villiers (55). Both batted confidently against a fairly toothless Surrey attack, although the Oval is not a ground you want to be a bowler on. That is unless you are Durham's Lauren Filer who helped herself to 5/59 courtesy of some decent pace, but some careless batting from Surrey, who seemed to be after the bonus point from the moment they started their innings. They went Hell for leather from ball one and, although Filer was expensive, they disrespected her decent balls at their peril.
At 62/4 (three of them to Filer) Surrey looked vulnerable, but with Dani Wyatt-Hodge coming in at 6 Durham needed the rest of their bowlers to stand up and be counted. Unfortunately on the placid Oval pitch they could not exert any pressure as Surrey cruised along at 7 an over. Filer returned and got Chatli as she pinged a ball straight to deep square, but Jemima Spence (27) and Maitlan Brown (27*) proved more than useful foils to another inevitable DWH century if Surrey did not run out of runs required before she got there. She got to 96 and Surrey only needed three to win. She went to hit the ball over mid-off, but failed. Two balls later the game was done and the bonus point secured, but you can't help feeling that Surrey's gung-ho attitude might be their downfall on another day.

Lancashire v Somerset
Lancashire 259/8 v Somerset 260/6 (47.5 overs)
This looked like it might be the tightest game of the weekend, with Somerset, fielding their three England players, taking on the champions. The bookies made Lancs favourites, but when news filtered through that neither Emma Lamb nor Gaby Lewis were playing for Lancs the odds on Somerset winning were significantly shortened.
Invited to bat Lancs made a pedestrian start reaching just 28/1 after the powerplay overs and by halfway they were still only on 96/3, but Ellie Threlkeld (71) and Fi Morris (52) put together a partnership of 88 and laid the platform for Lancs to add 77 from the last 10 overs to take them to a respectable, if unspectacular on the Southport wicket, 259/8.
The first half of the Somerset reply almost mimicked the Lancs innings with them on 37/1 after 10 and 90/3 after 25. But after drinks Somerset, in the shape of Heather Knight (63) and Aussie Anika Learoyd (32) decided it was time to come out of their shells. They took 38 off the next four overs and the momentum had changed. Learoyd perished, but that just brought the blunt instrument that is Dani Gibson (60) to the crease. They quickly got the required run rate under a run a ball and despite Sophie Ecclestone accounting for both her England team mates, the damage was done and Somerset cruised to victory in the 48th over.

Martin Davies
20/IV/2026

Round Up of Round Two of the Women's One Day Cup

Hot on the heels of Round One came Round Two of the One Day Cup, but it was too much 50 over cricket for England contracted girls, who played yet another internal T20 game. But it was a chance for The Blaze to get their 2026 campaign underway amidst a blustery forecast. So let's start with their game against champions Lancashire.

The Blaze v Lancashire
Lancashire 223 ao v The Blaze 148/5 (28.3) (The Blaze won by 6 runs (DLS Method)
Once again Lancashire's top order flourished this time in the shape of Emma Lamb 77 (98). Before she got out Lancashire were 176/3 with nearly 14 overs to come. The fact that they only added another 47 runs for the loss of seven wickets, before they were bowled out for 223 in the 49th over, was symptomatic of their failure to address the same problem they had last year.
The Blaze's response got off to an awful start when Sarah Bryce was run out in the first over going for a second run Marie Kelly did not even contemplate. But after 20 overs The Blaze had taken their score to 91/3 and the game was evenly balanced when the weather intervened. When the teams got back on the pitch nearly two hours later The Blaze were required to score another 80 runs in the remaining 11.4 overs. Kelly (44) and Prendergast (40) managed to keep the required run rate in check with The Blaze having one eye on the ongoing DLS requirement as the weather closed in again. Having just taken 11 runs from the 28th over The Blaze were ahead of the DLS requirement when the heavens opened two balls later. 

Durham v Essex
Durham 311/3 v Essex 288/5
It took Essex more than half their overs to get their first wicket against Durham with Emma Marlow getting out for 53, her maiden half-century. It would be another 22 overs before they got their second, by which time Hollie Armitage (81) and Aussie import Tahlia Wilson (152) had taken Durham to 300 with a 163 run partnership. Wilson succumbed to the last ball of the innings, but 311 looked to be a tall order for Essex. Cordelia Griffith (50) and Grace Scrivens (47) set about trying to lay a platform for the chase and had added 113 before Scrivens fell, but they had used up 25 overs in doing so. Griffith was out shortly after and it was not until Flo Miller (49*) joined Jodie Grewcock (77) after 36 overs that the run rate picked up, but by then it was too late. Both enjoyed themselves adding 89 in 13 overs, but Essex still found themselves 23 runs short at the end of their allotment of overs.

Yorkshire v Surrey 
Yorkshire 185 ao v Surrey 193/7  
Things were going pretty well for Yorkshire on 131/2 with Lauren Winfield-Hill 60* and Sterre Kalis 38* when Aussie pacer Maitlan Brown bowled a bouncer at LWH. She got herself into a mess trying to pull it and it kissed her helmet and went through to the keeper. Cue the obligatory appeal from the keeper and then the erroneous raised finger. LWH was not happy and she made her feelings known to the two standing umpires as she wandered slowly off the field. It would ultimately result in 5 penalty runs being awarded to Surrey. Two balls later Brown removed Kalis and 131/2 turned into 132/4. The Yorkshire middle order managed another 53 runs, but having been 185/6 Yorkshire contrived to lose their last four wickets without adding another run. 
By contrast Surrey (or rather Paige Scholfield) made light of the conditions - damp and dark. In a stand of 92 for the second wicket Alice Monaghan scored just 22. Scholfield went to her 50 off 25 balls and hit 17 4s and two 6s in her final score of 89 off 42 balls. But when she was out with the score on 139/3 Surrey's middle order got a serious attack of the collywobbles. Chatli went first ball, Spence two overs later and then brown also went for a duck. Fortunately Surrey have the stoic Alice Davidson-Richards (35*), who watched on in disbelief from the non-strikers end before bringing her team home with back to back 4s off Beth Langston with overs to spare.

Warwickshire v Hampshire
Warks 354/7 v Hampshire - did not bat
In a welcome change for Warwickshire  all of their top five hit half centuries as Edgbaston's short boundary again led to a run-fest. The only thing that could curtail the runs was the weather. After Warwickshire had helped themselves to the second highest score of the season so far - Perrin top scoring with 81 and Pavely 63* off 38 balls, Hampshire must have been delighted that the rain intervened as the players took lunch. No further play was possible and the sides took two points each.

Round Three is this weekend. On Saturday..
Essex v Warks at Chelmsford
Surrey v Durham at The Oval
Yorkshire v The Blaze at Headingley
And now on Sunday..
Lancs v Somerset at Southport

Martin Davies
16/IV/2026

Round Up of the first half of the Metro Bank One Day Cup after 8 Rounds

The Women's Metro Bank One Day Cup - effectively the Women's County Championship, as there is no multi-day women’s cricket - takes a brief respite from 20th May, after eight rounds of games, to accommodate the T20 Blast fixtures. There is then a brief resumption for two rounds at the end of July, before the competition comes to a climax in September with the final four rounds, the semi-finals, and the Final. Blessed by great weather throughout April and May, no games have been lost and the majority of the England contracted players have played, when not ruled out by injury. It has been a great start to the tournament, with plenty of tight games (including two ties) and some great individual performances. There have already been 14 hundreds (a record number in 50 over domestic women’s cricket) and four five-fors.

This is how the table currently looks

Perhaps the biggest surprise has been the underperformance of Surrey. With a team stacked full of England-capped batters (Wyatt-Hodge, Smith, Capsey, Dunkley, Scholfield and Davidson-Richards) you would have expected them to have blown away their opposition through sheer weight of runs, particularly playing their home games at Beckenham - a true batter's paradise. In fact they have played four 50 over games there and won only won. They did also tie against The Blaze, with each team putting 346/9 on the board. They have scored plenty of runs, but defending decent-looking scores has been their big issue. 

At the top of the table a young Hampshire side have probably exceeded even their own expectations losing just one game to The Blaze, after tieing their first against Warwickshire. Their strength has been in their consistent bowling attack, bowling four teams out for less than 209, with leading wicket-taker left arm spinner Linsey Smith to the fore. Batting-wise young Ella McCaughan hit a magnificent 133* at Southport to beat Lancashire and has two other 50s under her belt. Maia Bouchier also has three 50s to her name, but has not gone on to the big score that both she and England probably wanted. Overseas import, Australian Charli Knott, has also scored three fifties and taken eight wickets.

Tight on Hampshire's heels are Lancashire, who have finally got the results people have expected of them in past seasons, and the majority of their wins have been without the injured Sophie Ecclestone in their ranks. Their success has been based around the consistent opening partnership of Emma Lamb and Eve Jones. Together they have had three opening stands of over 100 and two more of over 50. They are both right up there as leading run scorers this season, and Lamb, who has also taken wickets with her off-spin, has earned a recall to the England squad for the West Indies series.

The Blaze (Notts to you and me) overcame Somerset, right behind them in the league, in the last game of this bloc of fixtures to keep up their challenge. They were many people's pre-season favourites. They have lost both their encounters with Lancashire, but have won the rest of their games. The Blaze have had some good team performances led by stand-in skipper Kathryn Bryce, performing with both bat and ball; two hundreds from Tammy Beaumont; and Georgia Elwiss chipping in with useful runs when they have been needed most.

As for Somerset they have been led from the front by skipper Sophie Luff, who has hit a century and three scores over 50. Aussie Amanda Jade Wellington has also frequently shown her worth, both with the ball, and as a closer with the bat. She has hit 178 runs at a superb strike rate of over 145. Perhaps inexperience has let one or two games slip from their grasp particularly down at Taunton.

At the other end of the table Durham got their season off to a perfect start with a crunching nine wicket win over Essex, during which Phoebe Turner took 4-33. With 17 wickets she is currently the league’s top wicket-taker. In the return fixture the result was equally emphatic with a six wicket win. But that, and a tight victory over Warwickshire, are their only wins. Perhaps it is no surprise that both of those defeated teams are the others propping up the table. Runs have proved hard to come by for Durham with a lot depending on Suzie Bates, Hollie Armitage and Mady Villiers at the top of the order. 

Almost the opposite is true of Warwickshire whose blushes have been saved by their lower middle order in several of their games. Emily Arlott, Charis Pavely and Georgia Davis have all scored over 50 batting at 7 and below. In fact Arlott went on to post 130 against Essex. Arlott has also been consistently in the wickets, which has resulted in her too getting a call-up to the latest England squad, as new England Head Coach Charlotte Edwards is true to her word that form matters.

And firmly rooted to the bottom of the table are last year's 50 over champions Essex (when they were called Sunrisers). They have managed just the one win, over Lancashire. Grace Scrivens scored back-to-back hundreds against The Blaze and Hampshire, but both were in a losing cause. They have got into winning positions in a few games, but have failed to get over the line. Their season looks done with just six games to come.

With the England internationals presumably available and encouraged to play again in all the remaining matches in the competition, you would expect Surrey to perform better in the second half of the season and join Hampshire, Lancashire and The Blaze in the semi-finals come September.

 

Martin Davies
20/V/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round Six

Durham v Warwickshire
Warwickshire 243/9 v Durham 244/7 (46.3 ovs)
Warwickshire, who elected to bat, never really got their innings going as they lost five wickets within the first 22 overs, with a brief cameo from Davina Perrin (32) ended by a fine return catch from Mady Villiers (2/35). When Katie George (42) and then Emily Arlott (29) departed Warwickshire looked in trouble at 152/7, but as in previous games their tail wagged with some purpose. Charis Pavely (57) and Issy Wong (32) added 83 for the 8th wicket before both succumbing in the final over of the innings, which left Warwickshire with a mediocre 243/9 on the board. Durham seamer Sophie Turner claimed 3/58.
After losing Emma Marlow early, Suzie Bates (72) and Hollie Armitage (46) powered on untroubled, until Armitage slapped a short wide delivery to cover point and then Bates was brilliantly stumped down the legside by Abbey Freeborn. Mady Villiers (65*) lost a succession of partners as the game seemed to be slipping away from Durham. Overs were not the issue, but wickets were. But finally she found an ally in Grace Thompson to help her get Durham over the line for their second win, with plenty of overs to spare and three wickets still in hand.
Highlights - Durham v Warks

Hampshire v Essex
Hampshire 273/5 v Essex 256/8 
Hampshire looked set for a massive total as the ball found its way from the bat to the boundary without too much effort within the first few balls, but Kate Coppack (2/44) removed Maia Bouchier and Charli Knott and the run rate declined as Hampshire rebuilt. Ella McCaughan's good form with the bat continued with a controlled 44, until she misjudged a sweep against Abtaha Maqsood and was adjudged lbw. Keeper Rhianna Southby (61) joined her skipper Georgia Adams (110*) at the crease for a vital 4th wicket partnership of 114 in a little over 23 overs to take Hampshire past 200. With cameos from Abi Norgrove and Nancy Harman Hampshire added 52 from the last 6 overs, as Adams also went to her century off 125 balls. 
In reply Essex made an equally bright start with Lissy Macleod (25) finding the boundary with some ease, but Linsey Smith (4/33) spun one past her tentative push to claim the first wicket. Concussion substitute (for Cordelia Griffith) Jo Gardner came in at three, but struggled to time the ball, and Essex's run rate plunged, with some tight bowling from left-arm spinners Smith and Bex Tyson, and off-spinner Knott. At the halfway stage Essex were only 108/1 with Grace Scrivens 53* (off 71 balls) at the time. Shortly after the drinks' break Smith accounted for Gardner, and with Jodie Grewcock (33) at the crease Essex picked up the pace. At the 40 over mark they were ahead of where Hampshire had been in their innings and needed 74 off the last 10 overs with 7 wickets in hand, but within 15 balls the game was gone as Tyson removed Gray, and Smith accounted for Scrivens, to a rash attempted reverse sweep, and Amara Carr, to a smart stumping by Southby. Essex ended an agonising 17 runs short and Hampshire moved to the top of the league with a fourth win.
Highlights - Hampshire v Essex

Lancashire v The Blaze
The Blaze 222 ao (48.2 ovs) v 226/6 (47.2 ovs)
The Blaze showed how much they will miss England players Tammy Beaumont, who could not repeat her previous heroics with the bat, and Amy Jones (52), next week, as Jones was the only batter in the top 6 to make a significant score. When she departed in the 33rd over The Blaze were on 141/6 and struggling, but Ella Claridge (63) martialled the tail through to 222 before she was the last out in the 49th over. It looked under par, but it at least gave The Blaze something to bowl at, with skipper Kirstie Gordon back in their bowling attack. Grace Potts finished with figures of 4/37.
But Lancs' opening pair of Eve Jones (33) and Emma Lamb (74) are brimming with confidence and found their way to 88 in just 14 overs before Jones gave Gordon (3/33) her first wicket. Sarah Glenn quickly accounted for Katie Mack, and Gordon removed both Seren Smale and Fi Morris in quick succession, to leave Lancs slightly on the back foot at 111/4. When Emma Lamb tickled Kathryn Bryce to the keeper down the legside Lancs may have wondered if this game was going to get away from them, but with plenty of time Ellie Threlkeld (35*) and Kate Cross (38*) calmly added an unbroken 71 for the 7th wicket to take Lancashire to victory in the 48th over, ending The Blaze's winning streak of four games. 
Highlights - Lancs v The Blaze 

Somerset v Surrey
Surrey 306/7 (44 ovs) v Somerset 215 ao (40.5 ovs)
High-flying Somerset had their tail feathers trimmed by a rampant Surrey batting attack lead by Bryony Smith (110) and Sophia Dunkley (79), as they racked up 306/7 in a game reduced to 44 overs after rain intervened for 40 minutes midway through the Surrey innings. The only Somerset bowlers to escape the onslaught were Amanda Jade Wellington (4/47) and Charlie Dean (2/56) in their full compliment of 9 overs. 
In truth Somerset never really looked like getting the adjusted DLS revised target of 317, and when Heather Knight was run out at the bowler's end as Alice Monaghan deflected a head high drive from Fran Wilson back onto the bowler's stumps, you could see the Somerset shoulders sag slightly more. Wellington (36) and Chloe Skelton (25) offered some late belligerent hitting, but the Somerset score only just crept into the 200s before Alexa Stonehouse issued the coup de grace in the 41st over. She, along with Alice Monaghan and Dani Gregory, each took a couple of wickets. 
Highlights - Somerset v Surrey

Metro Bank One Day Cup Table after six rounds

Martin Davies
12/V/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round Five

 The Blaze v Essex
Essex 231/9 v The Blaze 235/5 (40.5 ovs)
Essex managed to post 231/9 thanks mainly to opener Grace Scrivens' unbeaten 120, with only Jodie Grewcock (28), Amara Carr (34) and Kate Coppack (19) keeping her company at the crease for any significant length of time. Chief beneficiaries of a rather lacklustre batting performance by Essex on a good Loughborough wicket were Orla Prendergast (3/32) and Sarah Glenn (3/36). 
As The Blaze openers Amy Jones (41) and Tammy Beaumont (116*) shot out of the traps the paucity of runs scored became ever more apparent. They added 92 for the first wicket within 17 overs before Jones mistimed a pull to mid-on, but Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce (47) then added a further 104 runs to take The Blaze to within 38 runs of victory, with 21 balls to try and snatch an additional bonus point. Eighteen runs off the 39th over seemed to have put the bonus point in the bag, but Sarah Bryce and Georgie Boyce both perished in the chase and as the 40th over concluded they were still 4 runs shy of their target. 
It was however fitting that Tammy Beaumont smashed Eva Gray through extra cover in the next over to win the game. It was her second unbeaten century in three days. The Blaze will miss her when she reports for England duties next week.
Highlights - The Blaze v Essex 

Hampshire v Durham
Durham 190/8 v Hampshire 193/3 (36.5 ovs)
Durham's batting never really got out of first gear having been 43/2 at the end of the powerplay with Lauren Bell (2/38) picking up both wickets. With the parsimonious Linsey Smith (1/25) snaffling Mady Villiers (22) with a trademark caught and bowled, and the equally miserly young Bex Tyson (1/29) getting Hollie Armitage (25) straight after the half-time drinks' interval, the visitors had limped to 87/4. Middle order contributions from Phoebe Turner (38) and Bess Heath (31) saw Durham through to 190/8, but on a flat wicket and expansive outfield it looked well below par.
The loss of McCaughan in the 9th over merely gave Charli Knott (58) the opportunity to settle, and with Maia Bouchier (53) they steered Hampshire effortlessly to 136/1 after 25 overs. The win looked inevitable, but the question was could they get it within the next 15 overs. When Bouchier and Knott both fell after reaching their 50s, Hampshire might have wobbled but Georgia Adams (25*) and the lusty-hitting Rhianna Southby (22*) saw Hampshire pass the Durham total in the 37th over.
Highlights - Hampshire v Durham 

Lancashire v Surrey
Surrey 296/8 v Lancashire 299/5 (48 ovs)
For the third time in five games Surrey failed to defend what looked like a decent score on the board, as Lancashire this time chased down nearly 300 with relative ease. The fact that Lancashire had lost to Hampshire on the same ground just four days ago trying to defend 292 meant they knew they were still very much in the game at halftime.
Surrey probably felt they had done well to get to 296 after having been 50/3 just after the powerplay ended with Smith, Capsey and Wyatt-Hodge all out cheaply, Kate Cross (3/55) taking two of the wickets. Paige Scholfield's (87) and Alice Davidson-Richards' (100) 143 run partnership set Surrey up to post a total well in excess of 300, but the last 17 overs only produced 103 runs, rather than the 153 needed. 
In response Lancs were 133/3 at the halfway stage, still needing another 164 from the next 25 overs, plus they had already lost Emma Lamb and Eve Jones (52), who have been prolific scorers this season so far. Under pressure Lancs' middle order finally came to the party with Katie Mack (84) and Fi Morris (90*) taking the score past 200 and then Morris and Ellie Threlkeld (25) combining to bring Lancs home with 12 balls to spare with an unbroken partnership of 85.
None of the eight bowlers used by skipper Bryony Smith will have enjoyed their afternoon out. 
Highlights - Lancashire v Surrey 

Warwickshire v Somerset 
Somerset 297/6 v Warwickshire 249 ao (48.5 ovs)
Somerset built themselves a decent total based around an initial 70 from Heather Knight, and followed by 111* from Sophie Luff, as the Warwickshire bowlers toiled away on a good Edgbaston wicket with a short boundary on one side. Four wickets in the last 17 balls of the Somerset innings for Emily Arlott meant she finished with 4/65 as Somerset set Warwickshire 298 to win.
At 143/2 at the halfway stage Warwickshire looked on course to challenge Somerset's total with Sterre Kalis (60 off 49) having laid the platform, but Warwickshire contrived to lose six wickets for just 26 runs to go from 153/2 to 179/8, and the game was lost. A battling 50 from skipper Georgia Davis coming in at 10 showed what might have been, as she and Issy Wong (24) added 70 for the 9th wicket, but as they ran out of overs they also ran out of wickets, ending 48 runs short.
Highlights - Warwickshire v Somerset

Metr0 Bank One Day Cup Table after five rounds

Martin Davies
7/V/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round Four

Durham v Somerset
Durham 216 all out (revised target of 213)v Somerset 215/6 (37.3 ovs of 39 ovs) 

After a delayed start at a chilly and wet Chester-le-Street Durham lost Suzie Bates, playing on to a wide ball, in the four minutes of play that were possible before the teams left the field for another hour, that reduced the match to 39 overs per side.
When they returned they fared little better as their top order batting subsided to 49/4 with only Hollie Armitage (89) showing much resilience. Ellie Anderson (3/49) accounting for three of the four to fall. Armitage finally found some more reliable partners in Leah Dobson (21) and Phoebe Turner (35), before she was deceived by Amanda Jade Wellington. Turner then combined with Katherine Fraser (30) to take Durham's score past 200, but as the overs ran out Durham lost their last four wickets for just 13 runs, with Chloe Skelton (3/16) taking the last three in five balls to set Somerset just 216 to chase.
Without Heather Knight Somerset looked light on experienced batting, and when they lost their first couple of wickets with just 21 on the board their chances of winning looked bleak, but Rebecca Odgers (60) and the experienced Fran Wilson (68) kept the scoreboard ticking over and added 72 in 15 overs before Odgers was lbw to Katie Levick (2/33) missing a sweep. Much rested on Wilson and when she was out in the 32nd over Somerset still needed 38 off the last 46 balls. That equation became 27 off 24 balls, but Somerset's Antipodean finisher extraordinaire, Wellington (31*), hit Katherine Fraser for three consecutive 4s at the start of the 38th over to win the game by 4 wickets and take Somerset to second in the table.
Highlights - Durham v Somerset

Essex v Lancashire
Lancashire 230/8 v Essex 231/5 (47.2 ovs)
Lancashire's in-form openers Eve Jones (57) and Emma Lamb (43) got them off to another flying start with another opening stand in excess of 100 in less than 20 overs. But when leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood (3/42) removed Jones, and Kate Coppack (2/39) accounted for Lamb, scoring runs suddenly looked more difficult for Lancashire. Of the rest of the batters only Katie Mack (39) got past 17 and that was off 59 balls. Lancashire finished on a below-par 230/8 with Jodie Grewcock (2/36) bowling a tight ten over spell.
Winless Essex's reply was assured and confident. An opening stand of 77 was broken only when Grace Scrivens (32) missed an unnecessary reverse sweep, and when Lissy Macleod (45) followed 2 overs later Essex's nerves may have started to jangle, but Grewcock (73*) capped a fine all-round day as she calmly combined with first Cordelia Griffith (24) and then Flo Miller (41) to take Essex's first points of the season with 16 balls and five wickets in hand.
Highlights - Essex v Lancs

Surrey v Warwickshire
Surrey 313/7 v Warwickshire 314/7 (46.3 ovs)
The flat track at Beckenham once again produced a mountain of runs with Surrey losing out despite posting 313/7 in the first innings.
All of the top six Surrey batters got into double figures with Bryony Smith reaching 78 before holing out and Sophia Dunkley (102*) reaching her hundred off the penultimate ball of the Surrey innings. Emily Arlott (2/51) and Issy Wong (2/59) claimed a couple of wickets each.
Warwickshire rattled along at 7 an over in the powerplay, but lost three wickets in the process, as their batters tried to be positive, but failed to keep the ball on the ground. But from 59/3 Davina Perrin (69) and Nat Wraith (54) took Warwickshire to 173/3 before the halfway stage in their innings. When both fell within a few balls the wheels could easily have come off the chase but Bethan Ellis (63*) found willing and able partners in Emily Arlott (26) and Charis Pavely (30) to take the score past 300 and she justifiable finished the run chase with plenty up her sleeve to inflict a third defeat on Surrey and keep Warwickshire in the top three in the league.
Highlights - Surrey v Warwickshire

The Blaze v Hampshire
Hampshire 189/7 v The Blaze 192/3 (36.5 ovs)
With the exception of Ella McCaughan (57) Hampshire's top order had a forgettable day out at a windy and nippy Trent Bridge, in front of a good crowd, enjoying not only the cricket, but the Street Food Fair on the outer concourse. Maia Bouchier smashed a wide half-volley from Grace Ballinger onto her stumps and Charli Knott and Rhianna Southby committed the cardinal sin of trying to cut Sarah Glenn (3/36) off their stumps only to miss and be bowled. When McCaughan spooned a wide loopy leg-spinner from Josie Groves into the hands of cover point Hampshire were 101/5. Abi Norgrove (17) and Nancy Harman (19) flattered to deceive and only a highest team partnership of 46 between Freya Davies (25*) and Poppy Tulloch (18*) prevented Hampshire posting less than 150. 
A chase of 190 looked a formality, but opening bowlers Davies (1/38) and Lauren Bell (2/36) kept Hampshire in the game as The Blaze managed only 31/2 in the powerplay, and when Bell got Sarah Bryce in the 12th over, Hampshire dared to dream.
But the fluent Tammy Beaumont (112*) and the obdurate ex-Viper Georgia Elwiss (58*) combined to take the game away from Hampshire with an unbroken stand of 159, and take themselves to the top of the league with a thoroughly-deserved bonus point win. 

Highlights - The Blaze v Hampshire

Metro Bank One Day Cup Table after Four Rounds

Martin Davies
5/V/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round Three

The Blaze v Warwickshire
The Blaze 252/9 v Warwickshire 211 ao (42.3 ovs)
Having been put into bat The Blaze could not have got off to a worse start, losing Amy Jones for a duck lbw to Wong and next ball Kathryn Bryce needlessly run out, but Tammy Beaumont (38) and Sarah Bryce (52) not only steadied the ship, but put it on course for a decent total, as they rattled along at over 6 an over, and it took a good diving catch from Abbey Freeborn behind the stumps to remove Beaumont. But that stand of 74 turned out to be the best The Blaze could manage as their batters got in, only to get out. Emily Arlott was the main wicket-taker with 3/39 as The Blaze ended with an under par 252/9.
Warwickshire adopted a cautious approach to their reply....very cautious. After 10 overs Sterre Kalis (27 off 57) and Freeborn (40 off 60) had taken the score to 28/0, with just 15 scoring shots in the opening 60 balls. Kalis' demise in the 8th over introduced Davina Perrin, who scored a run-a-ball 53, and she and Freeborn took Warwickshire to 123/1 in the 27th over. But within 7 overs Warwickshire found themselves on the back foot at 157/5. A swashbuckling stand of 36 between Nat Wraith (34) and Charis Pavely (25) took them to 203/6 with 11 overs to get the 50 runs they needed. The win was on, but Blaze skipper Kathryn Bryce (5/38) having missed out with the bat, was not going to miss out with the ball. She blew away the Warwickshire tail as they fell to 211 all out (with Chloe Brewer not batting). 
Highlights - The Blaze v Warks

Lancashire v Hampshire
Lancashire 292/6 v Hampshire 295/2 (47 ovs)
After looking at the wicket and, quite rightly, assessing it as a complete road, Hampshire decided to insert Lancashire so they could set a target and Hampshire could attempt to chase it.
Lancashire openers, Eve Jones (107) and Emma Lamb (86) have been in fine form and presented with the opportunity to bat on this Southport wicket they grabbed it with both hands. With a short boundary on one side and straight, and a lightning fast outfield there was no room for error for the bowlers. With Bell resting, 19 year old opening bowler debutant Daisy Gibb was thrown in at the deep end, and she proved her worth with a tight opening spell. After 10 overs Lancashire had made their way to a steady 49/0. They continued to make serene progress as the deckchaired crowd lapped up the boundaries and the glorious West Lancs' sunshine.
At the midway point Lancs were 132/0 and the first chance did not come until the 31st over when Bouchier put down Jones off Smith on the deep midwicket boundary. Jones was on 78 at the time. But in the next over it was her partner who departed to a smart stumping (one of three) by Rhianna Southby off a floated legbreak from Nancy Harman. The opening pair had added 185. With a brisk 35 off 28 balls from Katie Mack, the stage was set for a score well in excess of 300. But the last 11 overs produced only 62 runs for Lancs as Charli Knott (2/42) and Georgia Adams (2/52) kept tight lines and Jones struggled through the nervous 90s. She eventually departed in the 48th over, but without the explosive finish Lancashire needed. 
In response Hampshire needed a good first 25 overs, and they got it through Ella McCaughan (133*) and Maia Bouchier (77). The pair put on 137 for the first wicket in just under 25 overs, with Bouchier the main aggressor. Both struck the ball sweetly as the Hampshire innings mirrored the Lancashire one. After 40 overs Hampshire were 247/1 (just 9 ahead of where Lancs had been at the same stage) and just beginning to press the accelerator. McCaughan had got to her maiden hundred off 113 balls four overs earlier and she and Knott (47) effectively put the game to bed as they helped themselves to 74 runs in a 50 ball spell before Knott was expertly stumped down the legside by Ellie Threlkeld. But it was too little too late as Hampshire rushed to victory with 12 runs in the 47th over, and 22 year old McCaughan carrying her bat for a very mature 133*.
Little did they know at the time, but Hampshire would find themselves as the only unbeaten team in the league and top of the table as they took the long bus journey back to Southampton. 
Highlights - Lancs v Hants 

Surrey v Durham
Surrey 348/6 v Durham 244 (45.1 ovs)
Surrey's star-studded batting line-up finally found their feet this season as they used the flat and fast Beckenham pitch to their best advantage racking up 348/6 against newcomers Durham. A third wicket stand of 155 between Alice Capsey (79) and Sophia Dunkley (92) set up Surrey, who added a swift 107 runs in the last 10 overs of their innings with cameos from Alice Monaghan (32 off 25), Alice Davidson-Richards (40 off 23) and Paige Scholfield (21 off 10). 
In reality Durham's chances of winning had gone in the first 16 overs of their reply, with Marlow, Armitage, Bates, Heath and Villiers all back in the dug out with just 87 runs on the board. A fine partnership of 93 between Leah Dobson (53) and Katherine Fraser (43) added some respectability to the Durham scoreline, but they were always fighting a losing battle with no wickets to play with. Inevitably as they tried to up the run rate more wickets tumbled and they finished 104 runs behind on 244 when Abi Glen cut Ryana Macdonald-Gay to cover point for her third wicket (3/38). Spinners Smith, Moore and Gregory had all picked up two apiece. 
The win was Surrey's first in Tier 1, which they will look to repeat back on the same ground on Sunday against Warwickshire. 
Highlights - Surrey v Durham

Somerset v Essex
Essex 184 ao (42.5 ovs) v Somerset 185/5 (35.5 ovs)
Essex once again failed to reach 200 with the bat and crashed to their third defeat in three games as Somerset bounded past their 184 all out in under 36 overs.
Within 12 balls Essex were three down - Jo Gardner, Cordelia Griffith and Jodie Grewcock all out for ducks. Skipper Grace Scrivens (27) and Flo Miller (19) set about shoring up the innings, but having taken the score to 50 they both fell leaving Essex with their backs against the wall, having lost half their side. 
Rather than going for the jugular Somerset took their foot off the gas a little, and allowed the Essex middle and lower order, ably lead by Amara Carr (67), to gradually accumulate runs and their final total of 184 at least gave them something to bowl at. Destroyer-in-chief for Somerset was Heather Knight who took 3/7 to wrap up the Essex innings.
Essex needed a similar start with the ball to their West Country rivals, but despite taking wickets every 30/40 runs they could not put any real pressure on the Somerset chase. Charlie Dean and Heather Knight both made 45, with the former not out, as all the Somerset batters got into double figures with the exception of Alex Griffiths who was 8* when she hit the winning runs taking Somerset to a 5 point win and fourth in the league equal on points with the two teams above them.
Highlights - Somerset v Essex 

Metro Bank One Day Cup Table after Three Rounds

Martin Davies
1/V/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round Two

Durham v The Blaze
Durham 200 ao (47.2 ovs) v The Blaze 201/5 (37.2 ovs)
Having been inserted Durham looked to have put themselves into a good position after the early loss of Suzie Bates with Emma Marlow (27), Hollie Armitage (81) and Mady Villiers (45) taking the home team to a healthy 164/2 in the 37th over, but over the next ten overs they conspired to lose eight wickets for the addition of just 36 runs as Sarah Glenn (3/45) and Josie Groves (2/12) ripped apart Durham's middle-order. 
With just 200 to defend Durham needed early wickets, but they could not find them. Tammy Beaumont (22) and Amy Jones (35) fell as the powerplay ended, but the Bryce sisters (Kathryn 54 and Sarah 34) continued the Blaze's inexorable progress to victory with a third wicket stand of 81, and although they both fell with The Blaze short of their mark there was no stopping their progress to a bonus point victory as they reached 201/5 in the 38th over.
Highlights - Durham v The Blaze

Essex v Warwickshire
Warks 289 ao (50 ovs) v Essex 181 ao (39 ovs)
Put into bat Warwickshire were in all sorts of bother at 22/5 midway through the powerplay with their top order blown away by some accurate bowling from Eva Gray (5/62). But consecutive stands of 101 and 132, built around a maiden first-class century from Warwickshire number 7, Emily Arlott (130), with great support from Chloe Brewer (44) and Charis Pavely (31), put Warwickshire firmly back in control of the game as they finished on an imposing 289, losing their last wicket off the last ball of the innings.
Essex made a measured start to their reply, but when Grace Scrivens (53) was out just before Essex got to three figures, the Essex innings began to subside around Cordelia Griffith (72), who battled on bravely. Katie George (3/38) led the way with the ball for Warwickshire. Having staggered to 176/5 in the 36th over Essex's chances of victory were admittedly slim, but they contrived to lose their last five wickets for just five runs as Chloe Brewer (3/18) helped mop up the tail in just 19 balls, to hand Warwickshire a bonus point win which looked so far out of sight six overs into the game. 
Highlights - Essex v Warwickshire

Hampshire v Surrey
Hants 259/8 v 209 ao (43.2 ovs)
Having decided to bat Hampshire took full advantage of a pacey Utilita Bowl wicket as Ella McCaughan (64) and Maia Bouchier (61) compiled an untroubled opening stand of 116 in under 22 overs. In fact it was a surprise when Bouchier gloved a Davidson-Richards' bouncer to keeper Chatli to break the stand. 
Surrey's four-pronged spin attack of Smith, Moore, Capsey and Gregory then clamped down in the middle overs as Hampshire struggled to up the run rate, not aided by losing regular wickets, but a late flurry of runs from Abi Norgrove (26) and a 9 ball cameo from Nancy Harman (14) took Hampshire to a respectable, but not unbeatable, 259/8.
After a slightly wayward first couple of overs Hampshire openers Lauren Bell (2/43) and Freya Davies (2/39) found their line and length and by the end of the powerplay Surrey were 38/3 with England-capped Bryony Smith, Dani Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley all back in the dugout. Only Alice Capsey (57 off 96) and Alice Monaghan  (40) threatened to take the game away from Hampshire, but when their stand of 64 was broken by the metronomic Linsey Smith (3/28) the outcome looked inevitable, and when Davies came back and removed Capsey, it was just a matter of time. Surrey were eventually bowled out in the 44th over for 209 and remain pointless at the bottom of the league table, which few would have predicted at the start of the season.
Highlights - Hants v Surrey

Somerset v Lancashire
Somerset 205/9 v Lancs 207/3 (36.5 ovs)
Lancashire made it 2/2 and jumped to the top of the MBODC league table, with a commanding win over last week's smash-and-grab heroes, Somerset. 
Having removed Heather Knight early, caught behind off Kate Cross (2/27) Somerset found progress painfully slow, not aided by losing wickets on a regular basis. By the 32nd over Somerset had clawed their way to 89/6 as Emma Corney (35 off 79) departed run out by a Grace Potts direct hit from mid-off. But striding to the crease to join mainstay Alex Griffiths (46) was Amanda Jade Wellington (26). After a measured start - just 2 off her first 10 balls - she and Griffiths took to Tara Norris, hitting 22 runs off the 37th over, including two sweetly-struck Wellington 6s. Ten runs came off the next over, and in the subsequent over Wellington clubbed Emma Lamb for her third 6, but trying to repeat the dose she was caught on the square leg boundary. The pair had added 56 runs in 7 overs. Griffiths fell shortly after and the tail added a useful 46 runs, but 205 still looked well below par. Spinners Hannah Jones (2/23) and Lamb (2/30) joined Cross on two wickets apiece. 
And an opening stand of 151 in under 30 overs between new recruit Eve Jones (97) and Lamb (52) put the result beyond doubt, with Lancashire's only disappointment being that Jones could not find the three runs she needed for her century, as she edged a wide half-volley from Ellie Anderson to backward point. 
Highlights - Somerset v Lancs

------------------

Metro Bank One Day Cup Table after Two Rounds

Martin Davies
28/IV/25

Metro Bank One Day Cup - Round One

What a start to the new eight county Metro Bank One Day Cup! All four matches produced some quality cricket and some great individual and team performances. Here is our round-up of Round One.

Durham v Essex
Essex 177 all out (47.3 ovs) v Durham 178/1 (32.4 ovs)
Durham could not have hoped for a better start to their Tier One professional life. Having inserted Essex on an overcast day at Chester-le-Street, Essex got off to a blistering start with 10 off the first over, but were reined in by some accurate bowling from the tall 17 year old Grace Thompson (2/34) and Scottish off-spinner Katherine Fraser.
Thompson was rewarded in her fourth over with the wicket of Jo Gardner, and when she was replaced by Phoebe Turner (4/33) Grace Scrivens nicked off. Griffith, Miller and MacLeod followed in quick succession and Essex were in a hole at 65/5.
But Jodie Grewcock (31) and Sophia Smale (40) added a precious 53 for the sixth wicket before Grewcock was deceived by the evergreen leg spin of Katie Levick (3/28). Smale and Amara Carr then made some slow progress, but once they too fell to Levick the Essex innings petered out to an inadequate 177 all out.
And after the early loss of Emma Marlow 37 year old Kiwi Suzie Bates (93*) and 27 year old Durham skipper Hollie Armitage (64*) brought all their experience to the fore as they knocked off the runs in just under 33 overs for a bonus point win for Durham to put them top of the table.
Highlights - Durham v Essex

Surrey v Somerset
Surrey 243/7 (33 ovs) v Somerset 241/3 (33 ovs) (revised target 238 under DLS)
A delayed start and then a two and a half hour rain delay reduced the match to a 33 over affair, but both teams' batters found the flat Beckenham wicket to their liking. 
The star-studded Surrey line-up lost Bryony Smith early on, but England's Wyatt-Hodge (33), Capsey (26) and Dunkley (22) failed to capitalise on good starts, before Paige Scholfield (48), Alice Davidson-Richards (57*) and keeper Keira Chatli (25) doubled the score from 122/5 in the 19th over to leave Somerset chasing the imposing total of 243/7. Amanda Jade Wellington (3/42) and Charlie Dean (2/40) were the principal wicket-takers.
Somerset openers Heather Knight (64) and Emma Corney (61) kept the visitors in touch with the run rate in an opening stand of 122 and with Fran Wilson (36*) and Charlie Dean (41) going well Somerset seemed to have set themselves up for victory, but a tight 30th and 31st over including the wicket of Dean who holed out off Alice Capsey, left the visitors needing an unlikely 32 off the last two overs with new bat Wellington heading to the crease.
Just a single off the first two balls of the 32nd over from Rhianna Macdonald-Gay brought Wellington on strike with 31 needed off 10 balls. She preceded to hit the next four balls for 4, to take 17 off the over and leave the equation 15 off the last six balls to be bowled by Davidson-Richards. Wilson cut the first ball for 4 and then got a single off the next ball. The epitome of calm Wellington then smoked the next ball for 4 through the covers and helped the next to fine leg for another boundary. Just two were needed of the last two balls. A leg-bye off the 5th, left Wilson on strike for the last and she calmly pulled the last ball to the boundary for a staggering win. Wellington's match-winning cameo was 24 in 7 balls, all in boundaries
Highlights - Surrey v Somerset

The Blaze v Lancashire
The Blaze 234 all out v Lancashire 235/2 (45 ovs)
England opener Tammy Beaumont made a scratchy start to the season before falling early for just 4, but then her fellow international Amy Jones (30), surprisingly opening, and in-form Scot Kathryn Bryce (70) saw off the opening spells from Kate Cross and Mahika Gaur. But the introduction of slow left-armer Sophie Morris proved Jones downfall, holing out at long-off. Bryce then found another willing partner in Georgia Elwiss as the pair took The Blaze to a commanding 146/2 with 17 overs still to come, but once Elwiss and Bryce were out The Blaze lost their last five wickets for 43 runs to finish on a disappointing 234. 
After Lancashire's Eve Jones fell towards the end of powerplay Emma Lamb (130*) and Katie Mack (44) took the game away from The Blaze. Lamb brought up her hundred from just 114 balls, including twelve 4s and The Blaze bowlers had no answers. Sarah Glenn did get Mack, but Seren Smale (38*) comfortably eased Lancashire over the line with five overs to spare.
Highlights - The Blaze v Lancashire

Warwickshire v Hampshire
Hampshire 208 all out v Warwickshire 208 all out
Under leaden skies and the e-shaped Edgbaston floodlights Hampshire surprisingly chose to bat first against Warwickshire. Early progress was slow as both Emily Arlott (2/30) and Katie George beat the bat on numerous occasions, with Arlott finally rewarded with the wicket of England's Maia Bouchier in the 5th over. A generous sprinkling of no-balls and wides took Hampshire to 25/1 after 9 overs with part-time seamer Chloe Brewer (3/40) adding 6 more wides in her first over. But in her second she produced an off-cutter which removed Ella McCaughan. Spinners Hannah Baker and skipper Georgia Davis, (2/38) then put a further squeeze on Hampshire who were only 91/4 at the midway point in their innings, Baker having accounted for Aussie overseas Charli Knott and Davis for Georgia Adams. But keeper Rhianna Southby (72) and youngster Abi Norgrove took the score past 150, albeit with only 12 overs left. The Hampshire lower order could only muster 14 runs after Southby fell in the 45th over and 208 (including 43 extras) looked an under-par score as the weather brightened and the pitch eased.
Lauren Bell (2/44) and Freya Davies kept things tight in the powerplay with Sterre Kalis the only casualty for Warwickshire. Having made it to 134/3 Abbey Freeborn's stubborn innings of 70 off 96 balls came to an end and Warwickshire started to look a little frail. Nat Wraith, Brewer, Arlott and Bethan Ellis all fell cheaply with Linsey Smith (4/39) the principal beneficiary. At 165/8 the game seemed to be Hampshire's for the taking, but Charis Pavely (17) and Georgia Davis (13) had other ideas. They saw off Knott, Adams and the returning Bell, before Davies returned to bowl the 43rd over with Warwickshire needing just 20 to win. She removed Pavely with the last ball of that over to leave the equation 19 runs or 1 wicket for the victory. 
Davis and Baker managed to bring the equation down to just 8 off the last four overs, but Davies bowled a maiden, followed by just two off the 48th from Adams. Another accurate over from Davies conceded just two runs and Warwickshire needed four to win off the last over from Adams. Three singles in the first three balls meant they had two balls to get the one run they needed. A dot meant they had just one ball to get it. Davis drove the last ball to Norgrove at short extra cover and ran. Norgrove fumbled but recovered to roll the ball underarm at the stumps at the bowler's end and run Davis out. The match was tied.
Highlights - Warwickshire v Hampshire 

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Metro Bank One Day Cup Table after Round One

Martin Davies
24/IV/25