Surrey women vs Somerset women at County Ground, Beckenham on Wednesday 23 April 2025 (10h30)
Somerset as visitors pulled-off a bizarre ‘last ball’ victory in a rain-affected match with 17 overs docked from each innings, on the opening day of the new season. Almost as soon as Surrey openers went in to bat, rain stopped play for two-and-a-half hours. Commentators added that upon arrival, ‘there was no rain in the air.’ Faced by a ‘daunting target’ adjusted by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, former England skipper Heather Knight [64 runs (from 54 balls)] in partnership with Emma Corney [61 runs (from 68 balls)] reduced the runs deficit by half. Charlie Dean partnered by Fran Wilson nudged Somerset toward what must have seemed like an unlikely winning position. The match reached its climax when, to the disbelief of the home crowd, Australia’s World Cup medallist Amanda-Jade Wellington (actual match photo) struck 24 runs from seven balls – please see ‘Wello’s’ YouTube diary below. With the scoreboard displaying Surrey’s higher score, it slowly dawned on spectators that with level scores, after DLS adjustment, Fran Wilson went on to strike the winning ‘four’ from the final match ball. Somerset claimed a memorable victory by seven wickets. Commentators were Cameron ‘Cam’ Ponsonby and Katya Whitney (both Sports journalists.) Weather: rain-interrupted 14C.
Surrey women wearing black with white logos and light blue neck-trim *Skipper Bryony Smith [Katie Jones weeping wicket for Somerset]; *Bryony Smith was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Ellie Anderson; *Rain interruption after 3.3overs on 21/1; *Match re-started with two-and-a-half hours lost, with each innings reduced to 33 overs per team; *Alice Capsey was caught at ‘extra cover’ by Charlie Dean, from Amanda-Jade Wellington’s leg-spin; *After 10 overs 74/2; *Danni Wyatt-Hodge went ‘leg-before’, to Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Alice Monaghan was stumped by Katie Jones, for a third-ball ‘duck,’ from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Sophia Dunkley was caught at mid-wicket by Alex Griffiths, from Heather Knight; *By 25 overs 174/5; *Paige Scholfield was caught at ‘deep mid-off’ by Laura Jackson, from Charlie Dean; *Kiara Chathli, was bowled ‘middle-and-off,’ by Charlie Dean; *Top-scorer Alice Davidson-Richards remained 57*not out (47); Surrey women batting: Alice Davidson-Richards 57*not out (47), Paige Scholfield 48(43), Danni Wyatt-Hodge 33(27), Alice Capsey 26(28), Kiara Chathli 25(18), Sophia Dunkley 22(28); Somerset women bowling: Amanda-Jade Wellington 3/42, Charlie Dean 2/40, Heather Knight 1/23, Ellie Anderson 1/29;
Somerset wearing wearing black with white logos and plum helmets *Skipper Sophie Luff *[Kira Chathli keeping wicket for Surrey] *international player Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia); *By 10 overs 64/0 (vs 74/2); *Century first wicket partnership; *Heather Knight was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Alice Monaghan, from Alice Davidson-Richards *Emma Corney was bowled, leg-stump skittled by Ryana MacDonald-Gay; *By 25 overs 173/2 (174/5); *Charlie Dean was caught at ‘long-on’ by Phoebe Franklin, from Alice Capsey; *Fran Wilson and Amanda-Jade Wellington remained ‘not out;’ DLS target exceeded – as mentioned above. Somerset women batting: Heather Knight 64(54), Emma Corney 61(68), Charlie Dean 41(35), Fran Wilson 36*not out(35), Amanda-Jade Wellington 24*not out (7); Surrey women bowling: Alice Capsey 1/39, Alice Davidson-Richards 1/42, Ryana MacDonald-Gay 1/58;
*Match result: Somerset women 241/3 (@7.3 runs-per-over, reduced DLS target 238 from 33/33 overs); beat Surrey women 243/7 (@7.3 r-p-o, from 33/33 overs); by seven wickets (Duckworth Lewis Stern method)
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play [07h10m08s] at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m77fe6d05-c269-4cb4-b83d-66c2ea99788f & Also BBC Sport at url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225518 &
*SKY sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/surrey-women-v-somerset-women/scorecard/a6caf4c4-54ab-5664-871b-319cae2c6eda
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Surrey Cricket TV (nv play) via YouTube with commentary from [02m45/07h10m08s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwX6mkNIxNM&t=169s
*’How did we win that?’ Secret Life of Wello diary via YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY7h7zk7Ub8
*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/
