Round Three of the Women's One Day Cup

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

Here's what happened this weekend....

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

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

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

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

Martin Davies
20/IV/2026

Thoughts on Day One of the Women's One Day Cup

Today I started yet another women's cricket season. This time it was at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton. And for the first time in many years I was there as a completely impartial observer. What I am looking for in particular this year is the next generation of international players. Hopefully I will see some good games of cricket along the way, as well as some exciting individual performances.

First up at The Bowl were Hampshire and Essex. Hampshire finished top of the table last year. Essex finished bottom. Hampshire had England players Bouchier, Kemp and Smith to help them out. Essex didn't!

Invited to bat on a blustery day with an  ice-cold wind, Essex lost England hopeful Grace Scrivens for a duck, and then Cordelia Griffith was run out with only 21 on the board. It looked like little had changed from last year. But then former Berkshire stalwart Lissy MacLeod and young gun Jodi Grewcock added 94 for the third wicket before Lissy ran herself out. Grewcock carried on in the face of some fairly toothless bowling it has to be said. She looked to be heading for a well-deserved hundred, but a rather ugly swipe and a miss at a Dattani straight ball was her undoing. She is already on the England radar, perhaps more for her leg spin bowling potential, but she showed she has a good temperament. Predominantly a back foot player, happy to pull, hook and cut, she is sometimes tentative coming forward. But she is lefthanded and has the added plus of her bowling. Essex will need her to maintain this fine start with the bat. Hopefully a finger injury sustained while bowling later in the day was not too serious, although she left the field mid-over and never returned, which are not good signs.

Once she had gone for a fine 80 you felt the Essex innings would inevitably peter out to not many over 200, but some measured batting from Amara Carr (33) and some rather more lusty batting from Sophia Smale (33), plus some dire catching from Hampshire allowed Essex to post a competitive 265/8. Hampshire's bowling and fielding let them down badly.

When batting Hampshire suffered their own early loss as Bouchier lofted McGregor tamely to mid-off early on, but that brought Abi Norgrove to the crease to join Ella McCaughan. These are two of the quietest and most unassuming youngsters, but they batted together with a maturity that belied their age. Circumspect at first, Hampshire only had 78 on the board after 20 overs, but unflustered they ran well and put away the bad balls. It was a surprise to the hardy spectators and to McCaughan herself when she chipped a return catch to Smale on 90. Hampshire were still 99 runs shy of their target. Freya Kemp, who didn't bowl, loped to the wicket. Frenetic at first, she should have been caught early on by MacLeod, but she worked through it and the pair added 40 before Norgrove holed out at long on for a splendid 85. She hid her head behind her bat for most of the walk back to the pavilion. But this was her highest score and her disappointment shows she has the right attitude to score more.

The Kemp drop was costly. She went on to score 46 at better than a run a ball, and despite being out in the penultimate over she and stand-in skipper Naomi Dattani (25*) saw Hampshire home with just two balls to spare. 

This was a game that Hampshire should have dominated, but their bowling let them down. Essex will have taken heart from both their batting and bowling performance, but they may continue to struggle in this early part of the season. 

As for prospects Grewcock and Norgrove impressed, but McCaughan stood out. Quite how the new Head Selector left her out of the recent South Africa internal games beats me. England's current loss is Hampshire's gain. Hampshire need to make the most of her while they have her. 

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Elsewhere newcomers Yorkshire were bowled out for just 178 in under 34 overs by Somerset at Taunton. Alex Griffiths and Chloe Skelton helped themselves to four wickets each as Yorkshire found ways to get themselves out. It looked like Somerset were in charge of the reply, despite lowly contributions from England pair Heather Knight (5) and Dani Gibson, with Sophie Luff and keeper Jess Hazell looking comfortable at the crease, but Hazell was unfortunately run out at the bowler's end for 18 and Somerset slipped from 99/3 to 115/8 in the space of 6 overs. The game seemed to be Yorkshire's for the taking, but Sophie Luff found a willing and determined ally in debutant leg-spinner Lola Harris. The couple took the score to within 9 of the Yorkshire total before Harris (18 off 55) looped a catch back to Claudie Cooper. It was left to Maddie Ward, endeavouring to make amends for a bad drop of Sophie Luff when she was on 52, to try and winkle out the last wicket, but Luff hit two 4s to level the scores and then struck the next ball straight back to Ward who could not cling on to claim the tie. Skipper Luff (76*) scuttled through for the single and jumped in delight as she completed the winning run. Somerset had won by one wicket.

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At Chester-le-Street Lancashire handed Durham a thumping opening defeat. They put 303/8 on the board thanks to another century from Gabby Lewis (131), who put on 176 with Eve Jones (82) for the second wicket. The Durham bowlers, including Lauren Filer in their ranks, had no answer. Sophie Turner and Katherine Fraser picked up three wickets apiece as the Lancashire batters went gung-ho in the last few overs, losing five wickets and adding just 13 runs. 
As feared Durham's batting crumbled. They were all out for 154 in 40 overs with Emily Windsor (46) the only batter to score over 30. Emma Lamb, after failing with the bat, took four wickets with her off-spin. This could be a long season for Durham fans.

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And finally to Edgbaston where Warwickshire took on Surrey on a wicket cut almost on the edge of the enormous square. There is one thing you do not need when bowling at Surrey's power-packed line up and that is a short boundary. Warwickshire would have been content with their early work as they had Surrey 95/4 at the end of the 17th over with Scholfield, Dunkley, Capsey and Chatli all back in the pavilion supping on a mug of warm tea. But Danni Wyatt-Hodge, batting at 6, proceeded to pepper the Edgbaston boundary hitting eight 6s and ten 4s as she shot to 124 off just 80 balls. In tandem with a more circumspect Alice Davidson-Richards (57 off 75), the double-barrelled duo added 118 for the fifth wicket off 95 balls. And when ADR was out youngster Jemima Spence spanked a very good-looking 79 off 48 balls with eleven more 4s and two more 6s, as Surrey took their total to a mammoth 389/9. 
Warwickshire lost Davina Perrin early in their reply and at halfway through their innings they looked completely out of the game at 138/5, but some more late heaving to the short boundary from Em Arlott (90) and Issy Wong (45) took Warwickshire past 300 and denied Surrey a bonus point win. All seven of Arlott's 6s were carted onto the short side from the same end. It meant Warwickshire finished on 337/9, but still lost by 52 runs. 

Martin Davies
12/IV/2026

2026 Women's One Day Cup Preview

The nine team Women’s One Day Cup kicks off next Saturday (11th April) with the first four games of the season. The Blaze are the team that miss out on the first round, so their season gets underway the following Wednesday. England players are expected to be available for the games in April, although it would be no surprise if there are more batters than bowlers. Into May the English internationals will disappear and are unlikely to be seen again – series v New Zealand and India, before the T20 World Cup in June. The World Cup will also mean that teams will lose their Scottish internationals from the beginning of May.

Looking at the end of the season England have another series against Ireland in early September, which could cause further disruption, but there are no clashes for the semi-final and final dates mid-month.
It looks like being a really topsy turvy season that will test squad depth and here there looks to be a divide between the top three and the the bottom three.
Top three looks like being Lancashire, Surrey and Warwickshire.
And the bottom three are likely to be Durham, Essex, and Yorkshire.
That leaves Hampshire, The Blaze and Somerset as likely mid-tablers.
It will be interesting to see how the season pans out and whether some of the England hopefuls can live up to their billing having been in Lottie’s “Top 30 Players in the Country” games recently in South Africa.
So here are my views on all the teams. Make of them what you will. I will have regular updates after each round of games.

DURHAM

I can’t help feeling that Durham will struggle again this season, particularly without the assistance of Suzie Bates or any replacement overseas star (they have now signed Aussie keeper/batter Tahlia Wilson for the first half of the MBODC - she will get plenty to do).
Batting looks to be their Achilles’ heel, with much riding on the form of Hollie Armitage, as it did last year, but then she had the help of Bates for much of the season. Ploughing a lone furrow game after game will be a tough ask. Mady Villiers, Leah Dobson and Bess Heath will need to step up if Durham are to set competitive totals.
On the bowling front senior pro Katie Levick will continue to take wickets, and it will be interesting to see if the young pace bowler, Phoebe Turner, can continue her good start as a pro. She burst out of the traps last season, but the second season is always a bit more tricky.
The chances of Durham seeing much of Lauren Filer are pretty slim as she is likely to be involved with the England set-up, who won’t want her bowling in 50 over games before the T20 World Cup.
Scottish spinner Katherine Fraser may also be missing for a chunk of Durham’s campaign on international duties just to make their lives more difficult.

Last Year’s League Position : 6^th This Year’s League Position : 8^th
Squad : Hollie Armitage, Leah Dobson, Lauren Filer, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Harriet Robson, Lizzie Scott, Grace Thompson, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner, Emma Marlow, Mady Villiers, Emily Windsor
INS : None known
OUTS : Suzie Bates
England contracted : Lauren Filer
Overseas : Tahlia Wilson ; Heather Graham (The Blast)

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ESSEX

Last season was a major struggle for the Essex team led by Grace Scrivens. They won only two of their 14 league fixtures with 18 players getting game time during the season.
Eva Gray toiled away with the ball, but took two thirds of her 15 wickets in just two games. Opening bowler Esmae McGregor looked a good prospect and she will hope to make further progress this season.
Much will be expected of England hopefuls Grace Scrivens and Jodi Grewcock, both with bat and ball. They were both in England’s “Top 30” in South Africa and if they want to remain in contention for an England cap (remember England play Ireland in September) then they will need to stand out at county level.
Scoring enough runs could again be their biggest issue, but they are unlikely to be significantly affected by international call-ups.

Last Year’s League Position : 8^th This Year’s League Position : 7^th
Squad : Amara Carr, Kate Coppack, Ariana Dowse, Jo Gardner, Eva Gray, Jodi Grewcock, Cordelia Griffith, Liberty Heap, Esmae MacGregor, Lissy Macleod, Abtaha Maqsood, Flo Miller, Sophie Munro, Grace Scrivens, Sophia Smale
INS : Liberty Heap (Lancs)
OUTS : None known
England contracted : None
Overseas : None

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HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire were the surprise team of 2025 missing out on the title thanks to a hundred from Lancs’s smart late-season recruit, Gabby Lewis. Their team for the first few games may look strong with England’s Bell, Bouchier, Smith and Kemp on hand, but their contributions may be limited after April, and with last year’s leading wicket-taker, Freya Davies, also missing now retired, life could become a struggle.
It means opportunities with the bat for bright prospects Ella McCaughan and Abi Norgrove and with the ball for Daisy Gibb, Bex Tyson and Poppy Tulloch.
The ace up the sleeve is nomadic Aussie Amanda Jade Wellington, who has moved along the south coast from Somerset. Her experience will be invaluable, but runs and not just wickets might be needed from her to help Hampshire stay in the top half.

Last Year’s League Position 1^st : This Year’s League Position : 4^th
Squad : Georgia Adams, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Naomi Dattani, Daisy Gibb, Hannah Hardwick, Nancy Harman, Freya Kemp, Ava Lee, Ella McCaughan, Abi Norgrove, Linsey Smith, Rhianna Southby, Pippa Sproul, Megan Sturge, Francesca Sweet, Poppy Tulloch, Bex Tyson, Amanda Jade Wellington
INS : Amanda Jade Wellington; Hannah Hardwick, Francesca Sweet; Pippa Sproul
OUTS : Freya Davies (retd); Daisy Mullan (released); Mary Taylor (Warks)
England contracted : Lauren Bell; Maia Bouchier, Freya Kemp, Linsey Smith
Overseas : Amanda Jade Wellington

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LANCASHIRE

They only finished third in the league last season, but defeated The Blaze in the semi-final and then Hampshire in the Final to become the defending champions.
They relied heavily on Emma Lamb and Eve Jones for the bulk of their runs last year. They formed a formidable opening partnership. With the permanent addition of Final centurion Gaby Lewis they have a strong top order, but their middle order may be called upon to provide more runs this year – Threlkeld, Lister, Smale, Morris and perhaps young Kesteven (if given the chance). No doubt Kate Cross will keen for runs in the lower middle order too.
They are not likely to see a great deal of Sophie Ecclestone, so Hannah Jones, Sophie Morris and Fi Morris will have to step up.
Likely to be there or thereabouts.

Last Year’s League Position 3^rd : This Year’s League Position : 2^nd
Squad : Olivia Bell, Darcy Carter, Alice Clarke, Danielle Collins, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Grace Johnson, Eve Jones, Hannah Jones, Tilly Kesteven, Emma Lamb, Gabby Lewis, Ailsa Lister, Fi Morris, Sophie Morris, Tara Norris, Grace Potts, Seren Smale, Ellie Threlkeld
INS :
OUTS : Alana King, Katie Mack
England contracted : Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Emma Lamb
Scottish : Darcy Carter, Ailsa Lister
Overseas : Gaby Lewis, Meg Lanning (T20 Blast)

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SOMERSET

Last season Somerset got themselves into good positions in games, but could not get over the line. They are unlikely to have the services of Dean, Knight and Gibson for long so they will have to make a strong start. Without retiring stalwart Fran Wilson a lot will fall on the shoulders of Sophie Luff to lead a very young and inexperienced team. It looks a tough ask.
It looks difficult to see where their runs will come from. The likes of Holland, Corney and Griffiths will need to knuckle down. But in Katie Jones they do have an exciting young keeper behind the stumps.
Wickets were hard to come by last season, and with leading wicket-taker Amanda Jade Wellington departing to Hampshire, could be again. Spinners Chloe Skelton and Olivia Barnes will have to support seamers Ellie Anderson and Alex Griffiths.
Not sure Aussie Anika Learoyd is going to be a game changer.

Last Year’s League Position : 7^th This Year’s League Position : 5^th
Squad : Ellie Anderson, Olivia Barnes, Emma Corney, Charlie Dean, Dani Gibson, Alex Griffiths, Lola Harris, Jess Hazell, Niamh Holland, Katie Jones, Heather Knight, Sophie Luff, Mollie Robbins, Chloe Skelton, Rebecca Odgers, Erin Vukusic
INS :
OUTS : Amanda Jade Wellington, Fran Wilson, Laura Jackson
England contracted : Charlie Dean, Dani Gibson, Heather Knight
Overseas : Anika Learoyd (April-July)

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SURREY

Despite having the strongest squad on paper last season Surrey’s MBODC campaign was a poor one, particularly early season when their large England contingent failed to impose themselves. It was perhaps a sign of things to come.
Playing their home games at Beckenham runs were easy to come by, but wins were not. Have to think this could be the last chance saloon for coach Johann Myburg.
This year they will be playing home games at the Oval, where again you would think there will be runs aplenty, particularly as their England batters are likely to be with them for the first few rounds of the competition. Bowling still looks to be their weak suit. A disgruntled Alexa Stonehouse has gone on loan to Warwickshire and Tash Farrant has retired. The current status of Ryanna MacDonald-Gay, who suffered a stress-related back injury in The Hundred last year is not known, although recruiting Maitlan Brown for the early part of the season suggests she will not be available. She also took no part in England’s training camps over the winter. That leaves Phoebe Franklin, Priyanaz Chatterji and Alice Monaghan as the frontline seam options, with Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Danielle Gregory as the spin options. Hopefully TCC will be left by England to have a full county season. She looks their main threat.
The naming of Kira Chatli as captain suggests that Bryony Smith’s participation in the MBODC may be limited.

Last Year’s League Position : 4^th This Year’s League Position : 1^st
Squad : Emily Burke, Alice Capsey, Priyanaz Chatterji, Kira Chatli, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Aylish Cranstone, Sophia Dunkley, Danielle Gregory, Bethan Miles, Alice Davidson-Richards, Phoebe Franklin, Rachel King, Charlotte Lambert, Ryanna MacDonald-Gay, Alice Monaghan, Kalea Moore, Paige Scholfield, Bryony Smith, Jemima Spence, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
INS :
OUTS : Tash Farrant (retired); Emma Jones (The Blaze); Alexa Stonehouse (loan to Warwickshire)
England contracted : Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Dani Wyatt-Hodge, Ryanna MacDonald-Gay
Overseas : Maitlan Brown (11/4 – 16/5), Laura Harris (T20 Blast)

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THE BLAZE (Notts)

The chances of The Blaze, thankfully in their last season under that name, seeing much of Nat Sciver-Brunt are minimal, but then that has been forever so. However they are likely to see a lot more of Tammy Beaumont, and perhaps Amy Jones at the start of the season. They may need them as their domestic batting line-up is not strong.
They are also likely to be without skipper Kirstie Gordon and the Bryce sisters for the three rounds of MBODC games played in June during the T20 World Cup.
Opportunities then for Ella Claridge, Marie Kelly and Cassida McCarthy to step up, alongside overseas imports Orla Prendergast and Charli Knott.

Last Year’s League Position : 2^nd This Year’s League Position : 6^th
Squad : Liv Baker, Grace Ballinger, Tammy Beaumont, Georgie Boyce, Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Ella Claridge, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Josie Groves, Lucy Higham, Amy Jones, Emma Jones, Marie Kelly, Michaela Kirk, Charli Knott, Cassidy McCarthy, Charley Phillips, Orla Prendergast, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Anne Sharpe, Prisha Thanawala, Amy Wheeler
INS : Emma Jones (Surrey); Orla Prendergast; Charli Knott
OUTS : Sarah Glenn (Yorkshire); Scarlett Hughes
England contracted : Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt
Scottish :  Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Kirstie Gordon
Overseas : Orla Prendergast April/May & Aug/Sept; Charli Knott June/July

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WARWICKSHIRE

Early season the pressure will be on Davina Perrin to perform to try and force her way into the England T20 World Cup squad. It will be interesting to see how she copes.
Last season the top order was fragile and was frequently rescued by the middle and lower order, led by the dependable keeper/batter Abbey Freeborn. It will also be interesting to see who keeps for the first three months with Nat Wraith often preferred last season, and with Aussie B-Lister keeper/batter Georgia Redmayne also on her way to Edgbaston. Keeping or not she should shore up the Warwickshire batting line up and perhaps allow some of the youngsters to flourish on occasions – Austin, Brewer, Wraith, Ellis and new import Mary Taylor.
Taylor is really there for her seam bowling skills rather than her batting, but Warwickshire would do well to work with her on her batting as she could be a very useful asset.
At full strength they look a good team on paper…..but cricket isn’t played on paper.

Last Year’s League Position : 7^th This Year’s League Position : 3^rd
Squad : Em Arlott, Meg Austin, Hannah Baker, Chloe Brewer, Georgia Davis, Bethan Ellis, Abbey Freeborn, Katie George, Charis Paveley, Davina Perrin, Georgia Redmayne, Alexa Stonehouse, Amu Surenkumar, Mary Taylor, Millie Taylor, Issy Wong, Nat Wraith
INS : Mary Taylor (Hants), Alexa Stonehouse (on loan from Surrey)
OUTS : Hannah Hardwick (Hampshire)
England contracted : Em Arlott; Issy Wong
Overseas : Georgia Redmayne (until the end of July)

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YORKSHIRE

Having been the only professional team in Tier 2 last year Yorkshire will have been disappointed to have finished only fourth in the table, losing four of their nine games. They did however go on to win the final in a match reduced to 20 overs.
Leg spinner Olivia Thomas was their leading wicket-taker last year, but the transition to a higher standard may prove tricky for her. Jessica Woolston was their leading seamer and a lot will be asked of her this season too.
Senior pros Lauren Winfield-Hill and Aussie recruit Jess Jonassen are going to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting, but two players nearing the end of their careers have their limitations. Should either get injured Yorkshire will be in a whole heap of trouble (or maybe that should be an even bigger heap of trouble).
It is difficult to see them winning many games, even when new recruit Sarah Glenn is available.

Last Year’s League Position : 4^th in Tier 2 This Year’s League Position : 9^th
Squad : Ami Campbell, Claudie Cooper, Rebecca Duckworth, Ria Fackrell, Sarah Glenn, Grace Hall, Jess Jonassen, Sterre Kalis, Beth Langston, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater, Erin Thomas, Olivia Thomas, Madie Ward, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Jessica Woolston
INS : Sarah Glenn (The Blaze)
OUTS : None known
England contracted : Sarah Glenn
Scottish : Hannah Rainey
Overseas : Jess Jonassen, Sterre Kalis

Martin Davies
05/IV/2026

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

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

This is how the table currently looks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Martin Davies
20/V/25

Hampshire steal another win in Taunton

When Maia Bouchier caressed the first of her seven boundaries to the fence in the second over of this important clash between top of the table Hampshire and unfancied high-fliers Somerset, it looked like this was going to be another run-fest at Taunton....nothing could have been further from the truth.

A tempered start by Hampshire, who chose to bat on a used wicket, became a workmanlike first 25 overs - 107/2, and then a grinding first 40 overs - 164/4, and a disappointing end - 213 all out off the last ball of their innings. 

Bouchier flattered to deceive with a relatively fluent 39 off 43, but beyond her it was a hard slog. Charli Knott worked the hardest at the coalface and came away with 64 off 102 balls, and for a while she and Rhianna Southy (46 off 65 balls) seemed to be setting some kind of platform for Hampshire to go on and make 250+, but having been 151/3, albeit in 36 overs, Hampshire contrived to lose their next seven wickets for just 62 runs. 

True Somerset bowled accurately and fielded pretty well, giving away just 6 extras in the Hampshire innings, effecting two run outs and taking their catches, albeit with a bit of luck for Sophie Luff as she clung on to a rebound off a skied Knott drive at mid-on with the use of her right thigh. But Hampshire will have been disappointed with only 213 runs on the board.

Somerset needed a positive reply and for two overs they looked to have made just that - 13/0. But some accurate bowling from Freya Davies, who picked up the early wicket of Emma Corney, and then left-arm spinning duo Linsey Smith and Bex Tyson, put the brakes on, which lead to Knight pushing a ball to Bouchier at short cover and running. At the other end Sophie Luff gave it some consideration and then quite rightly rejected the opportunity to get run out herself. Bouchier's direct hit left Knight floundering well short of her crease.

Just 9 runs came from the next 17 balls before Fran Wilson spooned a catch to Bouchier at short extra cover; 18 balls and just 3 runs later Charlie Dean swept Tyson into deep square legs' hands. Somerset were 63/4 in the 19th over. Somerset skipper Sophie Luff watched on with exasperation and horror as the procession continued at the other end and her team were reduced to 109/8, after a brief interlude for rain which apparently reduced the innings to 49 overs, but kept the DLS target exactly as it had been before - 214 to win.

It all looked pretty academic until number 10, Ellie Anderson, found her own bottom-handed way of keeping her skipper company for more than five minutes. For the next 13 overs Anderson shovelled and drove, and Luff used her feet and occasionally took to the air, to get Somerset to 178/8, a stand of 69, which meant that Somerset needed 36 runs to win from 28 balls. But with an improbable victory in sight Anderson pulled a decent length ball from Tyson straight to Bouchier at midwicket. There was no great celebration from Hampshire, just an audible team sigh of relief. In the next over Georgia Adams brought Luff's valiant solo effort of 74 to a conclusion, as she sneaked a ball under her bat, as she once again danced down to hit the ball through wide mid-on, but this time missed. Somerset were all out for 182 to lose by 31 runs. A comfortable victory for Hampshire on paper, but a lot closer than Hampshire will have liked.

But this is just the type of game that the girls need to be involved in to learn the ups and downs of a 50 over game of cricket, and how to handle pressure both with the bat and the ball, and in the field. It wasn't a classic, but it was a good game of cricket.

Martin Davies
13/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

Decisive weekend in County Championship

Right, lets park the razzmatazz of the KSL, (which was won by the Southern Vipers, by the way, and not just Charlotte Edwards, despite what the Press may say!), it is time to refocus on the bread and butter of women's cricket - the Women's County Championship, with a double-header Bank Holiday weekend ahead of us. If it wasn't for the County Championship there would be no players for competitions such as the KSL and the WBBL.

Catch Up....Unfancied Warwickshire top the league table having won the three games they have played against Sussex, Berkshire and Surrey. Their games against Yorkshire and Staffs have been washed out. Behind them loom Kent, who have lost one game to Sussex, who themselves are third, having been beaten on the opening day of the season by Warwickshire.
Yorkshire, Berkshire and Middlesex have all won two games, and then at the bottom of the league sit Surrey, Somerset (one win) and Staffs (winless)...

All of which means that this Sunday's game between Warwickshire and Kent at the Edgbaston Foundation Ground, could be the game that decides who wins the 2016 County Championship title. It seems that the ECB have decided that the England girls can only play one game this weekend, but for Kent this will not be an issue as they only have one game. For Warwickshire one assumes they will play their full team, including Amy Jones. Jenny Gunn and Rebecca Grundy, against Kent, but they will miss the game against Middlesex the following day. In form Suzie Bates has remained in England after the end of the KSL, so Kent should be at full strength. It will be a tough ask for the young Warwickshire side, but ironically the pressure will actually be on Kent to win. If Warwickshire can get early wickets then that pressure will build. It should be a fascinating game.

As I've said, win or lose on Sunday, Warwickshire take on Middlesex on Monday, with what will be an even younger squad, probably against a Middlesex's full compliment, with Fran Wilson and Alex Hartley back in Middlesex blue, after successful KSL campaigns. This game will be just as key as the one the previous day, and Warwickshire will have to dig deep (no matter what the result the previous day). It may be a tough call for Middlesex regarding their England players, as the previous day they play Yorkshire. Both games are at home and Middlesex could decide to field their strongest side against their northern rivals, given that they are struggling a bit to get many wins on the board this season, and it is almost as important that Yorkshire lose as Middlesex win.

On Monday Yorkshire make the journey from Middlesex down to Bridgwater in Somerset. Somerset will be following them down the M4 as they play Surrey at Reed's School the previous day. With three teams to be relegated from Div 1 at the end of the season these are key games for all involved. Somerset have only beaten Berkshire so far this season and their game against fellow relegation candidates Staffordshire was abandoned (so cannot be rearranged). They have to beat the teams just above them to give themselves a chance of staying in Div 1 next year.

Surrey themselves will be hoping to ease their relegation worries with wins over Somerset, and then on Monday against Staffs. They have lost four of the five games they have played this season, and two wins this weekend are essential.

Sussex are the other team with two games to play, taking on Staffs at home on Sunday and then travelling to North Maidenhead on Monday for Berkshire's only game of the weekend. If Sussex want to keep up any pressure on the top two then they need two wins and full bonus points, but realistically having dropped five bonus points already, they will need both Warwickshire and Kent to have some poor games if they are going to get past them.

Fixtures
Sunday 28th August 2016 - 11am start
Middlesex v Yorkshire at Merchant Taylors School
Surrey v Somerset at Reed's School
Sussex v Staffs at East Grinstead CC
Warks v Kent at Edgbaston Foundation Ground

Monday 29th August 2016 - 11am start
Berks v Sussex at North Maidenhead CC
Middlesex v Warwickshire at Merchant Taylors School
Somerset v Yorkshire at Bridgwater CC
Surrey v Staffs at Reed's School

MD
23/VIII/16

County Div 1 Round Up - First weekend

Well who would have thought that at the end of the first weekend of County Championship fixtures the top three in Division One would be :-

1. Warwickshire 18.00

2. Berkshire 17.50

3. Middlesex 17.00

True the rain did intervene somewhat, but the fallacy that county cricket is not a good enough standard for the England contracted players was blown out of the water as fancied Sussex got turned over by unfancied Warwickshire, and then Sussex themselves (without Sarah Taylor) dispatched Kent, despite the fact that all five of Kent's contracted England players were on the park and four of them batted in the top four.

On Sunday Kent steam-rollered newbies Somerset into the Taunton turf, posting 279/4 and then bowling Somerset out for just 58. There were runs for Edwards 79, Beaumont 72, and Greenway 69, as the chasm between Div 1 & Div 2 was cruelly exposed.
Fellow newbies Staffs were also hammered by Berkshire who restricted them to 130/9 and then got them with just two wickets down and eight overs to spare. Amanda Potgeiter took 3/12 and Heather Knight helped herself to 56 to get her season off and running.
In Middlesex the home side managed to score 165 before they were bowled out, having been 113/9 at one stage. Fran Wilson made 63, and Naomi Dattani (30*) and Alex Hartley (28) added 52 for the last wicket. In response Surrey were bowled out for 99 with Bryony Smith top-scoring with 23.
Sussex made another calamitous start to their season, as they did last year, losing by six wickets to Warwickshire. Put into bat they could only manage to put 126 on the board (losing two valuable batting points) and then take only four wickets (losing three more). Georgia Adams top-scored for Sussex with 45, with extras second top-scorer with 37. In reply Warwickshire calmly knocked-off the runs with Minihal Zahoor 39, Marie Kelly 31* and Anna Lanning 25 leading the way.

On Monday the rain washed out the Yorkshire v Warwickshire and the Staffs v Somerset games, but Berkshire made it two from two as they handed Surrey their second defeat of the weekend. Surrey have now lost their last five county championship games and they must already be strong relegation prospects with Kent, Sussex and Yorkshire still to play. They managed to post 153/9 thanks to 69 from Kirstie White. Potgeiter and Knight claimed three wickets apiece. Knight then led the way with the bat with 37, with keeper Carla Rudd hitting 34, just one shy of her best ever for the county. They wrapped up the win with nearly 10 overs to spare.

Meanwhile in Eastbourne the rain prevented play getting underway until just after 2pm, with the game reduced to 30 overs per side. Put into bat Sussex shot out of the traps with Georgia Adams (53) and Georgia Elwiss (20) smashing 30 off the first three overs from Farrant and Pape. Progress then became a little more serene until the penultimate over when Izi Noakes (38) launched Davidson-Richards for two enormous 6s over midwicket off consecutive balls. It meant Sussex reached 172 before they were bowled out in the last over. Kent needed 5.8 per over, but by half way, having lost Edwards early, Tammy Beaumont (49) and Lydia Greenway (33) had left Kent needing 96 off the last 15 overs at 6.5. As England Head Coach, Mark Robinson (who watched the match), said before the game it is important in women's cricket not to get behind the rate, and so it proved. Beaumont and Greenway went in quick succession and Kent collapsed from 101/2 to 131 all out. 

Which means that Berkshire have had a great weekend; Warwickshire have beaten a top team and do not have to play another (Yorkshire); Sussex could win all their remaining games and still not win the title due to only get three bonus points against Warwickshire; and Kent can still take the title, but cannot afford another slip up.

The next round of games is on Sunday 15th May.

MD
03/V/16

County Championship Wrap Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MD
16/IX/15