Northamptonshire Steelbacks women vs Worcestershire Rapids women – match 19, L2 – at Northampton County Ground (Wantage Road) on Thursday 15 May 2025 (10h30)
Remarkably each bowler from either team took at least one wicket, as it slowly became the first match in which both teams lost all their wickets. Only one batter (Gemma Marriott for Steelbacks) scored ‘fifty.’ Best bowler Jess Beach took a 5-fer Rapids (5 wickets/conceding 30 runs.) Batting first, Steelbacks suffered four ‘ducks’ and posted less than 200. Rapids replied with a disappointing power-play, during which time they lost four wickets, moving forward with three wickets disadvantage. Steelbacks skipper Anisha Patel (pictured) maintained the squeeze, taking a match-winning 3-fer that conceded only 8 runs. Only three Rapids batters made it into double-figures during what became a ‘nightmare innings.’ Weather cool mainly with cloud-cover and slight breeze 14C.
Steelbacks women wearing purple with light blue splash over dark blue with dark helmets; *Skipper Anisha Patel (50ov);*[Chloe Hill keeping wicket for Rapids]; with Bella Howarth (Blaze) and Mabel Reid (Essex loan);*Amelia Kemp was bowled, leg-stump flattened by Hannah Hardwick; *After 10 overs power-play 45/1; *BellaHowarth was bowled, leg-stump flattened by Jess Beach; *Bethany ‘Beth’ Ascott was caught at ‘backward point’ by Gwen Davies, from Flora Bertwistle coming around-the-wicket; *Mis-timing a ‘ramp,’ Lenny Sims was bowled with bails sent flying by seamer Samadhi Samarakoon for a fourth ball ‘duck;’ *Next over, Mabel Reid was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Flora Bertwistle coming around-the-wicket; *Mid-way (25 overs) 114/5; *Ella Phillips was caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Hannah Hardwick, from Phoebe Brett’s left-arm spin; *Alicia Presland was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by Jess Beach; *Poppy Smart was bowled ‘leg-stump bail’ sent flying by Jess Beach for a second-ball ‘duck;’ *Anisha Patel went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Jess Beach for a second-ball ‘duck;’*Next ball, Bethan Robinson went ‘leg-before’ to Jess Beach for a golden ‘duck;’ *Scoring ‘fifty,’ Gemma Marriott was undefeated; *Rapids bowler Jess Beach on a hat-trick, at next bowling opportunity; Steelbacks women batting Gemma Marriott51*not out (55), Bella Howarth23(45); Amelia Kemp17(26), Ella Phillips15(37), Bethany ‘Beth’ Ascott13(23), Alicia Presland11(21); Rapids women bowling Jess Beach 5/30, Flora Bertwistle 2/47, Phoebe Brett 1/22, Samadhi Samarakoon 1/22, Hannah Hardwick 1/37;
Rapids women: wearing light blue front, mid-hooped back uppers over lower black with light-blue helmets; *skipper Chloe Hill *[Poppy Smart keeping wicket for Steelbacks]; *with international player Samadhi Samarakoon (UAE) Gwenan ‘Gwen’ Davies (Wales) Hannah Harwick (Warwickshire loan); *Left-handed batter Gwenan ‘Gwen’ Gwen Davies went ‘leg-before’ to Ella Phillips; *Poppy Davies was bowled around-her-legs by spinner Ella Phillips; *Ruby Davis was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by seamer Bethan Robinson for a tenth-ball ‘duck;’ *Chloe Hill was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Bethan Robinson; *After 10 overs power-play 25/4 (vs 45/1); *Liv Gough was bowled by Amelia Kemp; *Five balls later, Hannah Hardwick was caught behind by keeper Poppy Smart, from Amelia Kemp; *Sophie Beech was bowled by Lenny Sims; *Mid-way for drinks (25 overs) 71/7 (vs 114/5); *Samadhi Samarakoon lobbed to ‘cover-point,’ caught by Bella Howarth, from Anisha Patel; *Phoebe Brett went plumb leg-before to Anisha Patel; *Flora Bertwistle was caught at ‘cover’ to the left-hander by Beth Ascott, from Anisha Patel; *Jess Beach was ’not out;’ Rapids women batting Sophie Beech 20(37), Poppy Davies 15(18), Liv Gough 11(33); Steelbacks women bowling Anisha Patel 3/8, Amelia Kemp 2/12, Bethan Robinson 2/27, Lenny Sims 1/17, Ella Phillips 2/16;
Match result: Northamptonshire Steelbacks women 161/10 (@4.2 runs-per-over, from 38/50 overs) beat Worcestershire Rapids women 78/10 (@2.3 runs-per-over, from 33/50 overs; target 162 from 50 overs) by 79 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB (via nv play) at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#md0499eee-f6c0-47e8-a0c6-aee97da89b4c
BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225593 & SKY https://www.skysports.com/cricket/northamptonshire-steelbacks-women-v-worcestershire-rapids-women/scorecard/ee6a1fe8-0697-5f75-984c-c41163ce84b1
*Full match free-to-air, without commentary courtesy of Steelbacks TV (nv play) via YouTube[05h45m39s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNLlhbG7QmU
*Upcoming League one fixtures and results up to May 2025 @url: hhttp://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/05/22/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-and-results-up-to-may-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/05/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-2025/
Latest match information and match starting times @URL: www.ecb.co.uk/
