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

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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

Lancs take title in dramatic final day

The final day of the Women's County Championship was as dramatic a day as you could have imagined, but you would have been hard-pressed to have followed it anywhere, or find any account of the day, with the exception of some county twitter feeds, our own twitter feed, this blog and that of CRICKETher. Even now there is nothing on the ECB website about who has won the Championship, or the teams that have been relegated and promoted - in fact there seems to be nowhere for it even to be located on the ECB site should it be written.

The Women's County Championship is the premier format of 50 over cricket below ODIs. Its standard has been criticised by the ECB for several years, but nothing has been done to improve it or replace it. It has been allowed to drift, and, this season in particular, it has been shoe-horned into two slots in the season, when many players could not play making many games a lottery. It must have been a nightmare for team managers and coaches.

With the proposed 50 over KSL now officially abandoned the ECB have finally decided to focus on county cricket it seems, but there will be no changes until 2019, with eyes next year firmly focused on T20 cricket, with the T20 World Cup in the West Indies in November 2017.

In our view serious ECB resources need to be put into a County Premier Division with a meaningful structure of games (at least 10 I would say), payment for the players involved, professional coaching structures and resources, and a commitment to promote the product, so that it is a level that girls aspire to reach and becomes a serious test of players' abilities. England players and one or two overseas players should also be encouraged to play, when they are available.

But enough of the future what of the current? Or more accurately the recent past...

Well in Div One it looked like it was Warwickshire's county title to lose. They were the only unbeaten side after five matches, but had the second and third teams in the league to play - Yorkshire and Lancashire. They had been in a similar position last year and blown it. Surely it couldn't happen again?

In the first game of the weekend Yorkshire posted 176/8 thanks to 51 from Hollie Armitage and 46* from Hannah Buck. Warwickshire lost early wickets, but made it to 74/2, only to lose their last eight wickets for eight runs to be 82 all out, and pick up only four points from the game. The Yorkshire win meant they were now in the driving seat as they were one point ahead of Warwickshire.

Meanwhile third-placed Lancashire were claiming 17 points as they defeated Notts by 63 runs, bowling them out for 108, chasing 171, with Sophie Ecclestone taking 4/16. It meant that Lancs were still third in the league, but 12 points behind second-placed Warwickshire. For Lancs to win the title they would need to beat Warwickshire the next day and hope Warwickshire didn't get too many bonus points, and then pray that Notts could beat Yorkshire, with Yorkshire also not doing too well on the bonus point front.

First things first they had to beat Warwickshire. When Sophie Ecclestone took 6/12 and Warwickshire were all out for 88, with only one batting bonus point, they were on course to achieve their first objective. When Lancs reached 92/5 to claim victory, they had all 18 points and Warwickshire had only three. Lancs had leap-frogged their opponents in the league and now all they could do was wait and see what happened between Notts and Yorkshire.

Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bat, but made a nervy start and were struggling at 62/4, but another patient knock from Hollie Armitage (55 off 108 balls), and some good shepherding of the lower order by Beth Langston (33*), meant Yorkshire got to 178 all out and three potentially precious batting points. With Warwickshire losing, it meant that Yorkshire did not have to win. They just needed to pick up a total of five bonus points. With three in their pockets they needed just five Notts' wickets to take the title. They took the early wicket of Georgie Boyce, but then had to wait another 97 runs before they got their second. The third came pretty swiftly thereafter, but Sonia Odedra was still there with Notts still needing 59 to win. They reduced that to 27 before they lost their fourth wicket, when the experienced Jane Smit joined Odedra. Neither of them will now be too welcome in Yorkshire as they steered Notts home with just four wickets down.

And so Lancs were the 2017 County Champions, by one point from Yorkshire, and three points from Warwickshire. 

Meanwhile at the bottom of the table it was a question of who would join Berkshire in Division Two next year - it was between Sussex, Kent and Middlesex. With Middlesex playing Sussex in the their last game, Kent knew that they only had to win one of their last two games against either Middlesex or Berkshire. They chose to load their side with all their key players against Berkshire on the Monday. Without them they had been bowled out for 110 and lost to Middlesex on the Sunday. They duly beat Berkshire bowling them out for just 79 and chasing it down for the loss of one wicket. They were safe.

And so it was that whoever won the Middlesex v Sussex clash would stay in Div 1. Middlesex batted first on a green looking wicket, but it played perfectly, and all the Middlesex batsmen enjoyed the conditions, helped by some inept umpiring. They racked up 259/6 with Sophia Dunkley hitting a well-made 63. With Sussex missing four frontline players they looked short on batting, despite the addition of South African Mignon du Preez. After a sprightly opening over the Sussex innings never really got going and at 85/4 things looked bleak. A 53 run partnership between Georgia Elwiss (38) and Freya Davies (29) gave Sussex brief hope, but when Elwiss hit a Dattani long hop straight to square leg, Sussex's goose was cooked. They were eventually bowled out for 169 giving Middlesex the win by 90 runs and another year in Div 1. Next year will be the first time that Sussex have ever been in Division Two.

Coming up from Division Two will be Hampshire and Somerset. Hampshire took the Div 2 title with final weekend wins over Devon and Somerset themselves, courtesy of telling contributions from Charlotte Edwards and Suzie Bates. It will be interesting to see if they both return in 2018. Somerset had secured their return to Div 1 with a thumping 96 run win over Surrey, the previous day. At the bottom of the table Staffs ended a miserable season with two more defeats and will be playing in Div 3 next year, as will Worcestershire, who were already relegated even before they lost their last game of the season to Derbyshire.

Promoted from the Div 3 play-offs to Div 2 are Essex, who beat Gloucestershire by six wickets, and Northants who beat Durham by five wickets.

So another County Championship season has ended before September has even begun. Congratulations to all those who have finished at the top and commiserations to all those that have finished at the bottom, but special thanks to all those that make it all possible.

MD
30/VIII/17

Second Round of Women's County Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martin Davies

Preview of 2017 Women's County Championship

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

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


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

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

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

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

First weekend's fixtures

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

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

The teams

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sussex (last year 2nd)

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

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

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

MD
28/IV/17

County Championship Wrap Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MD
16/IX/15

Div 1 Results and Round-Up

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

[league table here]

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

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

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

Warwickshire 109/1
Berkshire
Match Abandoned

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

Yorkshire v Sussex - Cancelled

Berks v Kent - Cancelled

Middlesex v Notts - Cancelled

MD
01/IX/15

Three-way tie at top of Div 1 settled by NRR!!

In the preview on Friday we suggested that it was perfectly possible for there to be a four-way tie at the top of Div 1 of the NatWest County T20 competition after the final games were played on Sunday. As it turned out three teams all finished on 24 points.

Division One
Yorkshire, Ireland and Middlesex are at Harrogate CC
Sussex, Somerset and Berkshire are at East Grinstead CC
Kent, Surrey and Notts are at Polo Farm Sports Club

How the drama unfolded
At the start of the day it was Yorkshire and Kent who were in the driving seat with five wins out of six under their belts, one win ahead of Sussex and Middlesex, but by 1.30pm the situation had altered dramatically.
Yorkshire (86 all out) had lost to Ireland (87/3) by 7 wickets; Kent (56 all out) had lost to Notts (136/4) by 80 runs (Jenny Gunn 51* and 5/3); and Sussex (95/9) had beaten Berks (92/7) by three runs ( Freya Davies 4/19).

All three teams were now level on points.

By 4.30pm Middlesex (92/5) (playing their first game of the day) had joined them there after beating Ireland (68 all out) by 24 runs.

All four teams were now level on points.

And all four teams were playing in the last games of the day and the last games of the tournament:-

Kent were playing Surrey

Sussex were taking on Somerset

and Yorkshire and Middlesex were taking on each other

Kent completed a solid win over Surrey after racking up 146/0 (including 104* for Tammy Beaumont) and restricting them to 115 all out. They moved on to 24 points

Sussex had allowed Somerset to rack up 127/8 (despite Holly Colvin's 4/10), but then managed to chase this score down reaching 130/4 in 18 overs thanks to 60 from Georgia Adams. They too moved on to 24 points.

It was now a question of who would win out of Yorkshire and Middlesex and thereby join Kent and Sussex equal on points at the top of the league.
If Yorkshire won then it would come down to a NRR calculation as each team had lost one game to one of the other two. If Middlesex won Kent would be champions as they had beaten both Middlesex and Sussex in the group matches.

Yorkshire batted first and made 116/4 (Alex Macdonald 52*). Middlesex started off strong in reply and were 29/0 after three overs, but at the start of the fourth over they lost Tash Miles, and then in the sixth Sophia Dunkley, to be pegged back to 35/2. By the half-way stage Fran Wilson (29) and Cath Dalton (6) had taken Middlesex to 54/2. They needed 63 off the last 10 overs. In the 13th over they lost Dalton, quickly followed by Wilson and Dattani in the 15th over. At 73/5 Yorkshire seemed to have the game under control, but Beth Morgan (25*) and Izzy Westbury (21*) made one final charge for Middlesex. They got it down to 19 off the last two overs and then 10 off the last one, and then four off the last ball. But they could only manage one, leaving Yorkshire victors by 2 runs.

As the NRR calculation needed all the group match scores for all three teams no definitive calculations could be made until all the results went up on the Play Cricket website, which did not happen until 5pm today. It showed that Sussex had won by 0.05NRR (see final table here) from Yorkshire, with Kent third.

At the bottom of the table Notts pulled off a magnificent Houdini act securing wins against Kent and Surrey to lift themselves out of the second relegation place. Two further defeats for bottom club Surrey consigned them to Div 2 T20 cricket next year, where they will be joined by Somerset, who gave themselves a chance of escaping the drop by convincingly beating Berkshire by 47 runs, but then lost to Sussex as they charged for the title.

Division Two
Derbyshire, Cheshire and Warwickshire are at Denby CC
Essex, Wales and the Netherlands are at Billericay CC
Durham, Staffs and Lancashire are at Durham City CC

In Division Two Lancashire won both their games against Durham and Staffs to remain unbeaten and ensure promotion to Div 1 next year as Division Two champions. They will be accompanied by Warwickshire who also won both their games to finish clear in second place ahead of Essex. Two defeats for Staffs and the Netherlands ruined their chances of promotion, and Durham's win over Staffs was enough to consign Derbyshire and Cheshire to Div 3 T20 cricket next year.

MD
17/VIII/15

Round 3 of County T20 this Sunday

We may be in the middle of an Ashes Series, but the county fixtures continue this weekend with the third round of the Nat West County T20 competition. It seems that none of the England contracted players will be in action for their counties, and several Academy players will also be missing as they line-up for the EWA in a two day warm-up game against Australia at Loughborough this weekend.

This weekend's groupings are:-

Division One
Yorkshire, Somerset and Kent at Harrogate CC
Notts, Ireland and Sussex at Welbeck CC
Middlesex, Surrey and Berkshire at Merchant Taylors' School

Division Two
Wales, Staffs and Derbyshire at Pontarddulais CC
Lancs, Netherlands and Cheshire at Glossop CC
Warwickshire, Essex and Durham at Knowle & Dorridge CC

Preview

Division One is led by unbeaten Kent at the moment with Yorkshire and Sussex hard on their heels. Kent will be without six frontline players, which should give Yorkshire and Somerset an opportunity. But Yorkshire are themselves without Brunt, Hazell and Winfield and Somerset will be missing Shrubsole, and South African Lizelle Lee, who has had to return to South Africa due to a serious shoulder injury. Yorkshire will be very keen to pick up two more wins, inflicting a defeat on Kent on the way, which would take them to the top of the league.
In Nottinghamshire Sussex will hope to come away with two victories in their games against Notts and Ireland. Again the two English counties will be missing some key players, but Sussex's strength in depth could see them through if they can put some runs on the board.
The tightest games are likely to be at Merchant Taylors' School, where Middlesex, Surrey and Berkshire clash. Middlesex have struggled of late, whereas Berkshire are on a bit of a roll. Surrey might trouble them both, so your guess is as good as mine on these three fixtures.

In Division Two Lancashire, who are struggling in Div 1 of the County Championship are currently unbeaten in Div 2 T20 games. This Sunday they take on second placed Netherlands and mid-table Cheshire in what looks like the match-up of the weekend. It would not surprise me for honours to be even at the end of the day.
Staffs, who are unbeaten in Div 2 of the County Championship have yet to hit their straps in the T20 competition, with losses to Netherlands and Warwickshire in their first four games. They will be keen to add two more wins this Sunday when they meet Derbyshire and Wales, who are currently the bottom two in Div 2 of the T20.
Mid-tabled Warwickshire, Essex and Durham meet each other at the quaintly named Knowle & Dorridge CC in the West Midlands. Two wins for either Warwickshire or Durham could put them in with a shout of promotion to Div 1 next season, with just two more games to come after this weekend. Remember the top two teams in Div 2 will be promoted to Div 1 next year. There are no play-offs, so there is plenty to play for.

MD

30/VII/15

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

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

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

So who will be missing England players this Sunday?

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

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

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

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

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

MD
15/VII/15

Kent go top as Yorkshire flay Middlesex

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

Div 1 Results and Reports

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

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

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

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

MD
22/VI/15