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
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