Round 17 of the One Day Cup - And then there were 2!

At the start of the day there were four teams vying for the third place slot and a place in the One Day Cup semi-final next Wednesday. They were Warwickshire, Lancashire, Surrey and Somerset. By the end of the day there were just two teams left with a shout - Surrey and Somerset - and they play each other in a delicious encounter at the Oval on Saturday. 
Warwickshire's chances suffered a catastrophic defenestration when they were bowled out by Surrey for just 55, the lowest team score of the season by 64 runs (Essex 119). It was indicative of Warwickshire's season to be honest, both on and off the pitch.
For a while it looked like defending champions Lancashire, who have been on a five game winning streak, would end Somerset's plucky charge at a top three slot having put 240 on the board and reducing Somerset to 87/3. But thanks to a typically gutsy team batting performance, lead by some of the lesser names - Hazell, Corney and Jones, Somerset scored the required 241 runs with wickets and overs to spare. 
All of which means that whoever wins the Surrey v Somerset game on Saturday will go through to the semi-final. 
At the top Hampshire completed an impressive bonus point run chase to dampen The Blaze's fire and go equal with them on points at the top of the table. Hampshire have now completed their fixtures and The Blaze play Essex tomorrow, with the obvious chance of taking top spot back.
At the bottom Essex managed to overcome Yorkshire for their fourth win of the season, but they still prop up the table on NRR. Can they stun The Blaze tomorrow?

Here's what happened in Round 17.....

Hampshire v The Blaze
The Blaze 249/7 lost to Hampshire 250/3 by 7 wickets
After a cautious start The Blaze looked to be well-placed to put a big total on the board on a good deck at the Utilita Bowl. They had reached 114/2 without too many alarms with ex-England players Tammy Beaumont (56) and Georgia Elwiss (12) looking calm and in control, but slow left-armer Bex Tyson (3/40) did for them both, which seemed to knock the stuffing out of The Blaze's batting. They could only add 59 runs off the last 10 overs (and 15 of those came off the last) to chalk up 249/7. 
Hampshire's top three - Ellie McCaughan (40), Maia Bouchier (118) and Abi Norgrove (52) put The Blaze's total into perspective adding 98 for the first wicket and 116 for the second. In the 35th over Hampshire realised a bonus point win was in sight - they needed 61 off 5 overs. 17 off that Kathryn Bryce over left the equation at 44 off 4 overs, which they achieved despite losing both set batters. Freya Kemp smashed 20 off 8 balls to seal the deal.

Somerset v Lancashire
Lancashire 240/9 lost to Somerset 241/5 by 5 wickets
Invited to bat Somerset looked to have their visitors in trouble at 74/4 after skipper Ellie Threlkeld was run out in disastrous fashion, but Seren Smale (82) and the soon-to-be retired Fi Morris (56) took Lancashire to 200 with 9 overs to go, but Ellie Anderson (3/41) took three quick wickets, after Skelton had removed Morris, and Lancashire could only add 40 in those last 9 overs.
But when Somerset found themselves at 87/3 with Odgers, Luff and Holland all gone it looked like Lancashire's winning streak would continue. Emma Corney (54) and Jess Hazell (77*) had other ideas. They shored up the innings, but when Corney was out in the 35th over Somerset still needed 100 runs to win at more than a run a ball. Keeper Katie Jones (47) joined Hazell and when they took 20 off the 45th over bowled by Kate Cross only 18 were needed off the last four overs. Jones missed out on a well-deserved 50, but Somerset got home with 13 balls to spare.

Warwickshire v Surrey
Warwickshire 55 ao lost to Surrey 59/0 by 10 wickets
Invited to bat Warwickshire seemed to forget exactly what they were supposed to do. True Essex import Kate Coppack (5/22) got a bit of away swing, but Warwickshire were simply too loose in their shot selection as they stumbled to 28/6 in the powerplay and were all out in less than 19 overs. Four batters made ducks, and nine failed to make it to double figures as Warwickshire's semi-final hopes evaporated with the previous day's rain.
Just to add salt to the wound Surrey knocked them off in 10.2 overs without losing a wicket. By 1pm the game was over. 

Essex v Yorkshire
Essex 241 ao beat Yorkshire 233 ao by 8 runs
Essex managed to post a creditable 241 all out thanks in the main to 87 from skipper Grace Scrivens. It probably should have been more, but once Scrivens was sixth out the innings fell away with part-time off spinner Amy Campbell claiming 3/33.
In reply a middle-order partnership of 63 between Sterre Kalis (52) and Campbell (64) looked to be taking Yorkshire to a comfortable victory, but when Campbell was neatly stumped by Claridge it was not only Campbell herself who was left lying prostate on the floor. The lower order collapse wasn't as dramatic as in the two previous games, but when Claridge's sharp hands removed the obdurate Rebecca Duckworth (20) Yorkshire subsided to their eleventh loss in fifteen games.

Martin Davies
10/VIII/2026

Round 16 of the One Day Cup - As Warwickshire Watch On....

Warwickshire, sat in third place in the table, could only sit and watch as those below them in the table tried to sneak past them or close the gap. As it was Somerset, just a point behind, could not put one over on the Mighty Blaze, but Surrey and Lancashire squeezed up the fight for third with victories over Essex and Durham respectively. Surrey won by 118 runs; Lancashire by three! But a win is a win!

It means all four teams vying for that third spot are now within just one point of each other. The games they have left to play are :-

Warwickshire - Surrey (Wed) and Durham (Sat)
Lancashire - Somerset (Wed) and Yorkshire (Sat)
Surrey - Warwickshire (Wed) and Somerset (Sat)
Somerset - Lancashire (Wed) and Surrey (Sat)

Meanwhile Hampshire got the better of Yorkshire, who currently bat all the way down to five. This round they lost their last 6 wickets for 25 runs, and 12 of those came from the last pair at the crease. It means Hampshire are guaranteed a home semi-final at worst, and are five points behind The Blaze, who have a game in hand. The pair meet at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday, before The Blaze finish off their fixtures against lowly, down-trodden Essex. Their path to the final looks assured, but can Hampshire dent their confidence on Wednesday. I'll be there to find out....

Here's what happened in Round 16....

Essex v Surrey
Surrey 344/7 beat Essex 226 ao by 118 runs
With a short boundary on one side seven of Surrey's top eight got into double figures as they clocked up 344/7 against a rather dejected Essex side. Abtaha Maqsood was the pick of the seven Essex bowlers with 2/41 off her 10 overs. For Surrey Priyanaz Chatterji top scored with 77 and Sune Luus hit 67. 
The Essex response never looked very threatening as they battled their way to 226 in 46 overs, 118 runs short of Surrey's score. They too had seven of their top eight in double figures, but no-one went beyond Lissie MacLeod's 40. 
Surrey will be looking forward to welcoming their England players back into the fold for their last two games. 

Hampshire v Yorkshire
Yorkshire 166 ao lost to Hampshire 170/3 by 7 wickets
For a while Yorkshire looked like they might set Hampshire a competitive total to chase. That was until they lost their fourth wicket at 135. It was that of Jess Jonassen (64). Yorkshire only managed to add another 31 runs to their total over the next 14 painful overs with Amanda Jade Wellington (5/25) putting them in a spin. 
With all the time in the world Hampshire strolled to victory within the bonus point 40 overs losing just three wickets including in-form Georgia Adams (61). The promising Francesca Sweet (55*) was not out as Hampshire got over the line.

Lancashire v Durham
Lancashire 169/8 (38) beat Durham 166/9 (38) by 3 runs
In a game reduced to 38 overs due to pre-game rain Lancashire, without Emma Lamb and losing Eve Jones first ball, meandered their way to 169/8.
Durham lost early wickets, but at 140/3 with 6 overs to go, and Hollie Armitage (54) and Bess Heath (43) going nicely, Lancashire's defence of their title seemed to be disappearing over the Pennines. But Kate Cross (3/24) in her last home game for Lancashire, winkled Heath out, and then the wheels fell off the Durham bus. Armitage remained calm, but could not find the boundary, and kept waving goodbye to partners at the other end of the pitch. From less than a run-a-ball Durham contrived to need 17 off the last two overs and then nine off the last. When Armitage scooped Cross' first ball to short third man the game was done. Lancashire are not done yet!

The Blaze v Somerset
Somerset 192 lost to The Blaze 196/4 by 9 wickets
The question was could Somerset prove to be a speed bump in the path of The Blaze juggernaut and, in the process, jump into third above non-playing Warwickshire? 
The answer was No, as despite another 50 from skipper Sophie Luff, Somerset could not take full advantage of a ludicrously small boundary in one corner of the ground. 192 never looked like being enough as Lucy Higham cleaned up the Somerset tail for figures of 4/28. 
Somerset hopes were raised as The Blaze slipped to 9/2 and then 53/3, but this time it was the turn of Sarah Bryce (57*) and Emma Jones  (53*)(once of Surrey) to bail The Blaze out. They combined to add an unbeaten 91 for the fifth wicket and get The Blaze over the line in the 39th over. 

Martin Davies
07/VIII/2026

Round 15 of the One Day Cup - Including the greatest come back of all time

As England thrashed Ireland in the Second ODI, the counties were hard at work battering each other to try and reach the top three of the One Day Cup table.

The Blaze are already sure to be there, as are Hampshire now after trampling all over Durham at Chester-le-Street. That leaves just one spot up for grabs and Warwickshire helped their cause with 5 points against hapless Essex. Could Somerset at Headingley and Lancashire, playing mid-table rivals Surrey, do the same? It looked unlikely until Yorkshire lost their last five wickets for four runs, when they only needed 10 to win, and Surrey shot themselves in the foot by losing an unnecessary wicket one ball before they came off for game-ending rain, which put them behind the DLS score they needed. See the full reports below. 

All of which means that the table now looks like this.

The games to come for those looking for a top three finish...

Warwickshire - Surrey, Durham
Somerset - The Blaze, Lancashire, Surrey
Lancashire - Durham, Somerset, Yorkshire
Surrey - Essex, Warwickshire, Somerset
Durham - Lancashire, Warwickshire

Warwickshire are best placed in third, but even winning their last two games does not guarantee they will make the Finals as all three teams below them have a game in hand over them. 
Somerset look to have the toughest run-in, but if they can defeat rivals Lancashire and/or Surrey they could still be in with a shout.
Durham are 8 points behind Warwickshire with only two games to play, so qualification looks extremely unlikely for them, but their games against Lancashire and Warwickshire could be key to who does take the third spot.
The next round of games is on Sunday with Warwickshire taking their turn to sit out. They will be watching on anxiously.

Here is what happened in Round 15....

Durham v Hampshire
Durham 200/9 lost to Hampshire 201/1 by 9 wickets
Durham's innings never really recovered from three quick post-drinks wickets which reduced them to 89/4. In fact they did well to get to 200 thanks in the main to an unbeaten fifty off 36 balls from Aussie Eleanor Larosa. In fact she and Katie Levick (12) added 42 for the last wicket to give Hampshire something to think about.
But they did not have to think too hard as in-form Georgia Adams (106*) and Ella McCaughan (31) cleared nearly half the runs required and then Abi Norgrove (59*) helped her skipper secure the five points that took them into the play-offs.
Durham's play-off chances are all but gone.

Lancashire v Surrey
Lancashire 234/9 beat Surrey 167/6 by 10 runs (DLS method)
In the key game of the day as teams squabble for top three status Lancashire posted a reasonable 234/9 thanks to a patient 85 from youngster Tilly Kesteven (85). After a sticky start she took her team to 227 in the 49th over before she fell to a mistimed ramp shot. 
In reply Surrey eschewed their usual batting madness but lost wickets nonetheless. Despite this they were grinding towards victory, after a brief rain delay shortened their innings to 43 overs. At 167/5 they were comfortably ahead of the DLS target as rain once again started to fall. It was at this point that Jemima Spence played an injudicious reverse sweep, which she missed and was lbw. Suddenly Surrey were behind the DLS score. One ball later the teams came off the field, never to return, gifting the victory to a grateful Lancashire.

Warwickshire v Essex
Essex 202 lost to Warwickshire 208/3 by 7 wickets
Warwickshire completed a no-nonsense bonus point win over struggling Essex after bowling them out for just 202 courtesy of seven wickets from spinners Phoebe Brett (4/42) and Hannah Baker (3/26). At 86/3 in reply there may have been a few jitters, but stand-in skipper Katie George (72*) and departing Abbey Freeborn (64*) made full use of the good batting track and Warwickshire romped home in the 37th over. 
It was a win that kept Warwickshire in third spot in the table, but with only two games to play they look slightly vulnerable as all three teams just below them have a game in hand, and they only play one of them (Surrey)

Yorkshire v Somerset

Somerset 130 ao beat Yorkshire 125 ao by 5 runs
In an extraordinary (and I use the word advisedly) game at Headingley Somerset were 9/4 and then 21/5 within the powerplay. Their West Country goose looked cooked, but Jess Hazell (31) and Jasmine Westley (28) briefly removed it from the oven as they added 66 for the sixth wicket. Three quick wickets suggested 100 might be out of reach, but late resistance from Chloe Skelton (20*) and Ellie Anderson (21) took Somerset to the dizzying heights of 130. 
Yorkshire initially tried to make a game of it by slipping to 74/4, but Sterre Kalis (23), Erin Thomas (29) and Amy Campbell (35) restored a semblance of calm. When Campbell departed to a senseless run out from the first ball of the 26th over from Skelton Yorkshire needed just 10 to win. Skelton proceeded to bowl the incoming Langston first ball, and then four balls later repeated the feat against Jess Woolston. In the next over Lola Harris bowled Sarah Glenn during a wicket maiden. Hannah Rainey struck her second ball for 4 to reduce the winning margin to 6. Two balls later though Skelton had bowled her too with a peachy off-spinner through the gate.
An unbelievable victory for Somerset.

Martin Davies
04/VIII/2026

Round 14 of the One Day Cup - Run-In Jitters

With some of the England players back in the ranks for a one-off appearance before the Ireland series (you can guess the usual no-shows*) the battle of the mid-table teams all got a bit jittery, with just a few games to go before the season finale. 

The Blaze's comfortable victory over Warwickshire kept them firmly atop of the ODC table and ensured they will be in the final three come September. Despite their defeat Warwickshire remain in equal third place.

Somerset and Surrey kept themselves in the third place melee with wins over mid-table Durham and struggling Yorkshire respectively. 

Defending champions Lancashire kept their hopes of making the Finals alive with their second victory of the season over second-placed Hampshire, but Hampshire still stay in second 14 points ahead of Warwickshire. With a game in hand this chucks Lancashire firmly into the qualification battle.
There are just 4 points separating Warwickshire in third and Lancashire in seventh. Somerset, Surrey and Lancashire all have a game in hand on the others. 

The next round of games is on 3rd September with Lancashire v Surrey looking to be the key game of the round.

Here is what happened in Round 14...

Hampshire v Lancashire
Hampshire 223 all out lost to Lancashire 224/6 by 4 wickets
The retiring Kate Cross put Hampshire on the backfoot with three early wickets and from 29/3 Hampshire did well to post 223. Hampshire simply could not string any partnerships together despite a typically belligerent 61 from Freya Kemp and a controlled 70 not out from Abi Norgrove. At one stage under 200 looked very likely, but Norgrove shepherded the tail to a potentially defendable score.
Lancashire made their typically languid start through Jones and Lamb, and Kesteven did little to up the run rate. But with less than five an over required Lancashire were always in control. Emma Lamb (68*) was the rock and Seren Smale (42*) the finisher as Lancs got over the line with 10 balls to spare.

Somerset v Durham
Durham 248/9 lost to Somerset 251/7 by wickets
Durham had opener Emma Marlow (71*) and their lower middle order to thank for making it to a par score on the good Taunton track. At 95/5 they were in strife, but Marlow, Grace Thompson (41) and Aussie Eleanor Larosa (44) bailed them out. Somerset's Ellie Anderson (5/40) mopped up the tail to claim her (and Somerset's) first ever five-for.
The early departure of in-form batters Sophie Luff and Bex Odgers made Durham early favourites to claim an important win, with both these teams in the mid-table kerfuffle, but Niamh Holland (70) and Charlie Dean (76) added 104 for the fifth wicket to break the back of the chase and Dean took her new county to within 12 of victory before she was bowled. It was too late for Durham.

Warwickshire v The Blaze
The Blaze 282/7 beat Warwickshire 212 all out by 70 runs
Despite five wickets for Issy Wong (5/58) Warwickshire amassed 282/7 with their batters looking comfortable at the crease. Ireland's Orla Prendergast (69) top-scored and there was another 50 for Georgia Elwiss (57), as the Warwickshire bowlers proved to be less than threatening.
The early wickets of Austin and Perrin did nothing to suggest that Warwickshire were going to chase down the formidable total, but Katie George (89) and Kiwi Brooke Halliday (52) raised the Midlanders' hopes with a stand of 125, but with 20 overs to go Warwickshire still needed another 134 runs. As they tried to maintain the required run rate they lost regular wickets until eventually they just ran out of batters, with overs in hand, but still 70 runs short.

Yorkshire v Surrey
Yorkshire 171 all out lost to Surrey 172/8 by 2 wickets
Having bowled Yorkshire out for a paltry 171 in just 33 overs Surrey must have been eyeing a useful bonus point win to help them try and sneak into the third place play-off spot. As it turned out just winning proved to be a challenge.
Apart from Lauren Winfield-Hill's 48 Yorkshire put up little resistance with the bat. Only four other players made it into double figures with Sarah Glenn's 32 responsible for taking them beyond 150. 
At 123/4 Surrey looked in control, if slightly uncomfortable, but then when Hannah Rainey (3/41) wiped out the Surrey middle order Surrey found themselves struggling at 148/8. Fortunately Chira Chatli (66*) was still there and got her team over the line in the 41st over for a deep sigh 4 point win. 

* NSB (injured), DWH (injured), Mahika Gaur (injured), Lauren Bell (not injured), Amy Jones (not injured), Sophie Ecclestone (not injured), Linsey Smith (not injured)

Martin Davies
27/VIII/2026

Round 13 of the One Day Cup - Big Hundreds & Battle for Third Place Tightens

As rain fell for the first time in two months the Women's County Championship (aka the One Day Cup) began it's run in to September's semi-final and final. This was Round 13 of 18. Very few of the England players, including those named for the upcoming Ireland ODIs, were available to play, so counties were relying on their up-and-coming youngsters to fill the gaps. 

As it was there were wins for the top two - The Blaze and Hampshire, who look to be battling it out for the top spot (the pair clash at Southampton on 9th September), but third placed Durham, having jumped to third on the back of two wins in June, were brought back to earth by The Blaze, who racked up 356/4 against them at Trent Bridge. Their loss allowed Warwickshire to leapfrog them into third with a gritty win over Yorkshire, and Somerset put themselves right in the mix with a resounding victory over bottom-dwellers Essex at Chelmsford. 
Just six points separate third and sixth with Somerset and Surrey having a game in hand over Warwickshire and Durham. 
With a swathe of England players likely to play next week before jetting off to the Midlands for the Ireland series, things could get spicey.  

In batter friendly conditions due to the heat there were hundreds for the Blaze's Kathryn Bryce (136) and Georgia Elwiss (134*), for Somerset's Bex Odgers (133*) and Sophie Luff (103), and another for Georgia Adams (115). 

Here is what happened in Round 13....
Essex v Somerset
Essex 266/8 lost to Somerset 267/2 by 8 wickets
After a poor start Essex got themselves into a great position at 184/2 in the 35th over courtesy of a 169 run partnership between Jodi Grewcock (87) and Sophia Smale (83), but three wickets in 11 balls for just two runs changed the shape of the Essex innings, which went from a possible 300 down to a respectable 266/8.
Somerset needed a good start in reply and boy did they get it! Bex Odgers (133*) and Sophie Luff (103) took Essex's bowling attack to bits. By the end of the powerplay they were 68/0, after 20 overs 136/0, and after 30 194/0. When Luff went to a horrible full toss from Grewcock the game was already won as the pair had put on 223 for the first wicket. It was fitting that Odgers stroked the winning run in the 39th over.

Surrey v Hampshire
Surrey 228 ao lost to Hampshire 229/6 by 4 wickets
On a rather barren-looking Guildford outfield Surrey threw away a perfectly good start from makeshift openers Rachel King (45) and Alice Monaghan (36), in the absence of several England players. They had batted through all but one ball of the powerplay and put on 69 untroubled runs, before King succumbed to a sharp caught and bowled from Georgia Adams. When Monaghan holed out to an Adam's full toss and Bex Tyson drifted one into Sune Luus's leg stump the door was open for the wily Amanda-Jade Wellington (4/37) to rip out Surrey's middle order. Only Alice Davidson-Richards withstood the barrage, but when she was eighth out with Surrey on 217 the writing was on the wall. Surrey posted 228 before they lost their last wicket in the 45th over.
Hampshire were always comfortably up with the run rate, but by the halfway stage had lost four of their top five. Only Georgia Adams (115) stood firm. A 62 run partnership with Nancy Harman (37) put the game beyond doubt and Hampshire romped home in the 42nd over despite losing Adams as victory was in sight.

The Blaze v Durham
The Blaze 356/4 beat Durham 217 ao by 59 runs (DLS method)
With a short boundary on one side, and a lightning outfield, this was always going to be a run-fest. Marie Kelly and Tammy Beaumont missed out, but Kathryn Bryce (136) and Georgia Elwiss (134*) cashed in as Durham conceded 356/4.
Durham started their reply in rather subdued fashion scoring just 43 off the first 10 overs. It meant when the rain came and wiped 16 overs off their innings they were miles behind the clock, needing another 236 runs off just 24 overs. To be fair they gave it their best shot with Mady Villiers hitting 65 off 34 balls and Bess Heath 57 off 28 balls, but going at 10 an over for 24 overs is a mighty ask. Eventually they were all out for 217 with a few overs in hand. Kirstie Gordon took 4/54, which included 22 off her fourth over as Villiers hit her for two 4s and two 6s. 

Warwickshire v Yorkshire
Warwickshire 269/9 beat Yorkshire 202 ao by 57 runs (DLS method)
Yorkshire will have been kicking themselves all the way back to Headingley as their fielding let them down in a game they could have won. At least seven catches were put down including Meg Austin on 3 and 5. She went on to be the backbone of a slightly pedestrian Warwickshire innings scoring 94 before she offered Yorkshire one chance too many to get rid of her. Fortunately for Warwickshire Em Arlott (who is heading to Yorkshire next season) clattered 44 off 19 balls as Warwickshire ran out of overs and Yorkshire ran out of ideas. 
Before Yorkshire could set off in reply there was a brief rain delay which reduced their target to 260 off 46 overs. However at 28/3 just after the 9 over powerplay that target looked a long way off. And so it proved. The ubiquitous Sterre Kalis (52) offered most resistance, but Warwickshire kept chipping away at the wickets, which finally ran out in the 41st over with Yorkshire still 57 runs short. 

Martin Davies
20/VI/2026

Round 12 of the One Day Cup - Last one before another break

With England involved in the T20 World Cup and England A in the middle of a low-key series with India A, many of the county sides have been struggling to field full-strength teams. The positive spin is that it gives some the Academy members the chance to make their first team debut. The negative is that some games are less than competitive. 
In this sandwich filler section Surrey were surprisingly the big losers. They only played two games, but lost to both The Blaze and to Durham. They have slipped to fifth in the table, but are only 2 points off the play-off places. 
Two wins for Durham have taken them to the dizzying heights of third, behind The Blaze and Hampshire. 
Essex lost all three of the games they played in this segment of the competition and are rooted to the bottom of the league, but, with five games still to play even they are not out of possible contention for the play-offs, although you'd have to say it looks a pretty distinct possibility. 
Any team that can get on a roll in August and September can make the play-offs. The England v Ireland series could interfere in team selection in that period, but most teams should be back to full strength, subject to post-Hundred injuries and resting players. 

Current table

Here is what happened in Round 12.....

The Blaze v Yorkshire
Yorkshire 150 ao lost to The Blaze 151/6 by 4 wickets
Choosing to bat did not work out too well for Yorkshire who struggled along for nearly 43 overs to put just 150 runs on the board. Only four Yorkshire batters made it into double figures and Sarah Glenn was the top scorer with 30. Charley Phillips added another 3 wickets to her season tally.
The Blaze shot out of the gates in search of the bonus point win, and were 59/3 at the end of the powerplay. Stand-in skipper Marie Kelly held them together with 66 and they got over the line 6 down in the 31st over for a short, sharp day.

Durham v Surrey
Surrey 179 ao lost to Durham 183/4 by 6 wickets
A somewhat depleted Surrey batting line-up - missing Capsey, Wyatt-Hodge, Dunkley, and Chatli - crashed and burned to the spin of  Katie Levick (4/31) and Mady Villiers (3/23). Bowled out in under 40 overs for just 179 Surrey might have felt they had a chance as they reduced Durham to 81/4, but skipper Hollie Armitage (76*) and Aussie Heather Graham (40*) completed an unbeaten century stand to claim the bonus point win.

Lancashire v Essex 
Lancashire 272/9 beat Essex 119 ao by 153 runs
Lancashire's top eight batters all made it to double figures as Lancs piled on the runs against an Essex team deprived of skipper Grace Scrivens , Jodie Grewcock and Sophia Smale, on England A duties. The writing was on the wall pretty early into the Essex innings as they struggled to 43/3 in the powerplay. Saffer Anika Bosch delayed the inevitable for a while top scoring with 32, but even she could not resist the off-spin of Fi Morris as one after another five batters holed out. Morris finished with career best figures of 6/27. She will bowl a lot better and get far less by way of reward.

Hampshire v Warwickshire
Hampshire 265/7 beat Warwickshire 194ao by 71 runs
Hampshire built their way slowly and steadily to 265 based around a fine knock from keeper Rhianna Southby (90*) and 64 from Abi Norgrove. Amanda Jade Wellington added a bit of oomph at the end of the innings with a run a ball 42 as the players melted in the 35 degree temperatures at the Utilita Bowl. 
Warwickshire looked out of it at 40/3, including the wicket of the returning Davina Perrin (16), but Georgia Redmayne (53) and Abbey Freeborn (54) seemed to have Warwickshire back on track before the late introduction of Wellington lead to Redmayne's downfall with 128 on the board. From there there was a steady procession of batters to and from the wicket with Georgia Adams claiming 3/30, including the important wicket of Freeborn with an instinctively one-handed return catch. A win that looked in doubt at one stage ended up being a 5 point bonus win, keeping Hampshire in second spot, albeit 4 points behind The Blaze, but 13 points clear of third placed Durham. 

Martin Davies
25/VI/2026

Round 11 of the One Day Cup - Collapses, Shocks & Big Wins

On the morning after the night before for Nat Sciver- Brunt's calf, and with England's male football players apparently getting ready for some competition or other, the ladies what cricket were at it again in the One Day Cup.
Bottom-dwellers Lancashire toppled the table-toppers The Blaze; Hampshire annihilated Essex, Somerset produced the 40 balls of the season and Yorkshire took the spoils in the Northern derby.

Here is how the games worked out......

Durham v Yorkshire
Durham 193 ao lost to Yorkshire 194/4 by 6 wickets
Durham only made it to a lowly 193 courtesy of a tenth wicket partnership of 62 between Trudy Johnson (32*) and Katie Levick (31). It never looked like being enough runs once Lauren Winfield-Hill (65) and Erin Thomas (67) serenely took Yorkshire past 140 only one wicket down. Both perished thereafter, but Yorkshire stuck to the task to claim their third victory of the year and consign Durham to their fifth defeat.

Essex v Hampshire
Essex 245 lost to Hampshire 246/0 by 10 wickets
Hampshire may have been disappointed to have allowed Essex to post 245, having been 112/6, but Essex's recovery showed how good the wicket really was. Number 8 Liberty Heap hit an aggressive 75 and Jo Gardner 56.
Hampshire need not have worried as openers Maia Bouchier (136*) and Ella McCaughan (104*) were rarely troubled, as Hampshire cruised to a 10 wicket victory within 40 overs. The only doubt was whether McCaughan would join her opening partner in hitting a 100, but, with passive assistance from Bouchier, she scored 18 of the last 19 runs required to win to post her own century.

Lancashire v The Blaze
Lancashire 239 ao beat The Blaze 211 ao by 28 runs
The Blaze at 159/4 looked to have their ninth victory nicely sown up, with Tammy Beaumont (64) and Prisha Thanawala (39) apparently in full control of the chase. Lancs had made hard work of setting 239 in the first place with the top 8 all making double figures, but only Seren Smale (51) and Fi Morris (57) going on beyond 50.
But suddenly Beaumont missed a straight ball from Jones, Ella Claridge dragged a legside delivery onto her own stumps and Thanawala tamely holed out at mid-on. The Blaze, who have escaped some scrapes this season were in another one at 173/7. This time there was no saving the points for The Blaze as they were bowled out in the 48th over for a much-needed victory for a beleaugured Lancs team.

Somerset v Warwickshire
Warwickshire 160 ao lost to Somerset 161/3 by 7 wickets
I don't think anyone saw the remarkable passage of play coming that took Warwickshire from a commanding 151/2 in the 27th over to 160 all out just 43 balls later. Openers Amu Surenkumar (58) and Georgia Redmayne (32) had laid the initial platform and Meg Austin (17) had helped take Warwickshire beyond 100, but when leg-spinner Lola Harris enticed Surenkumar to sweep the ball straight to Ellie Anderson at square leg Warwickshire's worst nightmares were about to become a reality.
Harris accounted for Pavely for a duck and left arm spinner Olivia Barnes bowled Katie George (31) with a peach; Freeborn was bowled by Harris; Taylor was run out by keeper Katie Jones' direct hit from 25 yards; Davis pulled Barnes to deep square; Stonehouse drove Harris to short cover and finally Baker dragged Barnes back onto her own stumps.
Lola Harris finished with 4/32 and Olivia Barnes 4/24.  
Shell-shocked Warwickshire did what they could with the ball, but Anika Learoyd's comfortable 70* guided Somerset to a victory that will live long in the memory.

Martin Davies
18/VI/2026