Durham Cricket women vs Essex women at Chester-le-Street, Banks Homes Riverside on Wednesday 23 April 2025 (10h30)
‘Months of planning’ were rewarded as Durham Cricket ‘cruised’ to their first ever major win’ as professionals, by nine wickets, against Essex. Separately, commentators had hoped for better weather to encourage a larger crowd to mark the ‘huge occasion,’ in what later turned out to be a convincing home-team win. New Zealand international Suzie Bates made top-score for Durham [with 93*not out (runs from 103 balls); partnered by skipper Hollie Armitage [64*not out(87).] In contrast, even though Essex had been ten runs ahead after their ‘power-play,’ commentators found that Essex lost their first four wicket ‘cheaply.’ Durham’s best bowlers were Phoebe Turner who took a 4-fer (4/33); with Katie Levick and Grace Thompson both taking ‘3-fers’. *Commentators were Greg? with Stevie? Ross ? and Polly Starkie (‘HerGameToo’ cricket ambassador for Essex cricket partnership; also ‘Noughtie Child Podcast’ Social media co-host – please see link below.) Weather described as ‘gloomy’ grey with floodlights switched-on just before the break was taken between each innings.12C.
Essex women wearing mauve over black; *Skipper Grace Scrivens *[Bess Heath keeping wicket for Durham]; *With commentators curse ‘with mounting pressure’ for Durham’s first wicket during Essex’s power-play, Jo Gardner went ‘leg-before’, to Grace Thompson; *After ten overs power-play 44/1; *’Huge breakthrough’ when skipper Scrivens was caught by keeper Bess Heath, from Phoebe Turner; *Cordelia Griffith, went for a ‘carbon-copy’ dismissal when caught behind, from Katie Levick’s leg-spin; *Flo Miller was caught by Abi Glen’s dive from ‘slip’, for a second-ball ‘duck,’ bowled by Grace Thompson; *Lissy Macleod was caught-and-bowled by Phoebe Turner; *Jodi Grewcock was stumped by Bess Heath, from Katie Levick; *Play was briefly paused on 66/5 (injury); *By mid-way drinks 89/5 (25 overs); Sophia Smale went for a ‘carbon-copy’ dismissal when stumped; Amara Carr, was caught by Suzie Bates, from Katie Levick; *Eva Gray, ramped to ‘deep mid-on’ caught by Katie Levick, from Phoebe Turner; *Floodlights switched-on after 47 overs; *Three balls later, Esmae MacGregor, was ’run-out’ by bowler Katherine Fraser receiving at the non-striker’s end; leaving Kate Coppack ‘not out; Essex batting: Sophia Smale 40(68), Jodi Grewcock 31(64) ,Amara Carr 21(32), Grace Scrivens 19(33), Jo Gardner 18(26), Eva Gray 15(19), Cordelia Griffith 10(27); Durham Cricket bowling: Phoebe Turner 4/33, Katie Levick 3/28, Grace Thompson 3/34;
Durham Cricket women wearing diamond-patterned blue over black; *Skipper Hollie Armitage *[Amara Carr keeping wicket for Essex]; *With International player Suzie Bates (NZ) and Katherine Fraser (Scot); *During the second over, Emma Marlow went ‘leg before’, bowled Kate Coppack; *After ten overs power-play 34/1 (vs 44/1); *By mid-way drinks 125/1 (vs 89/5); *No further wickets fell; Durham Cricket batting: Suzie Bates 93*not out (103); Hollie Armitage 64*not out (87); Essex bowling: Kate Coppack 1/44;
*Match result: Durham Cricket women 178/1 (@x5.4 runs-per-over target 178 from 32.4/50 overs); beat Essex women 177/10 (@x4.1 r-p-o, from 47.3/50 overs); by nine wickets
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mca820551-6e8e-4d5f-b69c-9e9e6977a74c & Also BBC Sport at URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225580 & Sky Sports @url https://www.skysports.com/cricket/durham-women-v-essex-women/commentary/9a20ec19-658c-5a76-8b00-8faeae7e4c12
*Full match free-to-air without commentary, courtesy of Durham Cricket TV (nv play) via YouTube [05h28m56s] @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHpZ_EBeC2g
*Noughtie Child podcast on YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuaWBTcPnBJ52IJAzdsnBUA
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/04/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-for-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/05/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-2025/
