Kent women vs Leicestershire Foxes women – match 12, L2 – The Spitfire Ground at St Lawrence near Canterbury in Kent on Saturday 3 May 2025 (10h30)
Kent women have much work to do to pick themselves up following their poor run-of-form’ and inconsistent performance between opening tier-two matches. Previously boosted by bagging their first home win on the same ground (26 April), Kent women suffered their second ‘crushing’ defeat from their third ‘tier two’ match. Separately, Kent women pride themselves as ‘the most successful side in the history of the women’s game,’ producing England internationals including Tammy Beaumont, Alice Davidson-Richards and Ryana Macdonald-Gay. On the day, only four Kent women batters made double-figures during a nightmare innings not dissimilar to their opening match defeat by Middlesex (20 April.) Contrary to home team commentators expectation, all Foxes batters made double-figures despite lauding Kent’s ’spin attack.’ Foxes won the match comfortably inside twenty-five overs without stopping for customary mid-way drinks. Scotland’s Ellen Watson made top-score and hit the winning ‘four.’ Commentators: Adesh (Sports Journalist) with co-commentators from BBC radio Kent. Cool with cloud cover 13C.
Kent women wearing bright-blue with white shoulder trim over dark blue *Skipper Megan Belt *[Sophie Bennett keeping wicket for Foxes] *with Megan Sturge loan from Hants; *Cursed by commentators for ‘looking for another century’ Amy Gordon was caught by keeper Sophie Bennett from an ‘inside edge,’ from Emma Thatcher for a sixth ball ‘duck’; *Soft dismissal, when Megan Sturge was caught at ‘square’ by April Herathge, from Emma Thatcher’ *Momentarily gaffed as ‘catch off the season,’ Sophie Singer was caught ‘at square’ by Laura Crofts, from Ellie Phillips; *After 10 overs power-play 18/3; *Coco Streets feathered an edge to keeper Sophie Bennett, from the quickest seamer, Holly Whitfield; *Genevieve Jeer played-on from an inside edge to Laura Crofts’s full-length yorker; *Switching mid-over, bowler now coming around-the-wicket, Grace Poole was bowled with her ‘leg stump’ flattened by Laura Crofts; After 25overs; 74/6; *’Bad to worse’ when Olivia Barnes went ‘leg before’, to Ellie Phillips;*Zeena Bilal was caught ‘nicely’ at ‘mid-wicket’ by Ellie Phillips, from April Herathge ‘who’d bowled incredibly well’; *Isabella James went aerial, caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Flora Davies, from D’Nica Roff’s ‘full-toss’; *Finally, Molly Davis went ’leg before’ to April Herathge; leaving skipper Megan Belt ‘not out;’ Kent women batting: Genevieve Jeer 27(45) *M Davis 20(63) *Coco Streets 14(34), Zeena Bilal 10(23); Leicestershire Foxes women bowling: Ellie Phillips 2/7, April Herathge 2/17, Emma Thatcher 2/17, Holly Whitfield 1/19, D’Nica Roff 1/25;
Leicestershire Foxes women wearing red-with-green-splash *Skipper Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker; [Molly Davis keeping wicket for Kent] with Ellen Watson (Scotland); *Big appeal given when Sophie Bennett went plumb ‘leg-before to Olivia Barnes spin; *After 10 overs power-play 52/2 (vs 18/3); *’Unfortunate lapse in concentration’ when Flora Davies was ‘run out’ by Sophie Singer, without noticing Lucy Weston was unmoved, from bowling of Olivia Barnes; *Soft dismissal when Lucy Weston was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Sophie Singer, from Megan Belt; *No further wickets fell, contrary to commentators curses for Kent to ‘take wickets very cheaply;’ *Ellen Watson was undefeated with top-score 37*not out(49); partnered by Francesca Sweet 18*not out(23); *Foxes women batting: Ellen Watson 37*‘not out;’(49), Lucy Weston 29(40), Francesca Sweet 18*‘not out’(23), Flora Davies 18(20), Sophie Bennett 11(14); Kent women bowling: Megan Belt 1/22, Olivia Barnes 1/29;
*Match result: Leicestershire Foxes Women 121/3 (@5 runs-per-over from 24overs/ target 118 from 50 overs); beat Kent Women 117/10 (@2.8 r-p-o, from 40.2/50 overs); by seven wickets
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#c39cfaf83-ff45-4d8d-8ad8-682869d75201_mb2f5ffac-9654-44bb-a3e3-b611da958b33
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225588#KentW & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/kent-women-v-leicestershire-foxes-women/scorecard/e77385b1-e709-5b38-ae63-4ee21a0ea78a
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Kent Cricket (Livestream sponsored by Cluberly) [04h22m24s] via YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd7Jkql4TWw&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Flive.nvplay.com%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ
*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/
*Kent Cricket response to missing-out on ’tier one; status @url: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/kent-miss-out-on-tier-one-professional-women-s-side-305311/
Latest match information and match starting times @URL: www.ecb.co.uk/
