Middlesex women v Glamorgan women (match 2, league two ‘double-header’) at the Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood (Middx) on Sunday 1 June 2025
Middlesex women bagged two wins from two following a low-scoring thriller in which neither side scored 100. ‘Commentator’s curse’ struck during Glamorgan women’s innings, when three batters known to be ‘in decent form’ made shock single-figure departures. Only two batters posted double-figures for the visitors. Key partnership between Niamh Holland and Poppy Tulloch mounted a rescue, adding 31 runs until top-scorer Niamh Holland was bowled by Hannah Davis (who took 2 wickets/conceding 14 runs.) Separately, Sonali Patel also took two wickets (2/9). Glamorgan’s hopes were raised once Middlesex ‘made a meal’ of their reply, when three early wickets fell for 25 runs. Saskia Horley ‘stepped-up’ to play a skipper’s innings, firstly by adding 15 runs with Finty Trussler, followed by a match-winning 32 with keeper-turned-batter Pippa Sproul. Crucially, the match remained on a knife-edge when two overs added just two runs with six balls remaining. Following a ‘leg-bye,’ Saskia Horley held her nerve to score the winning ‘four’ from the penultimate match ball. Post-match, host skipper Saskia Horley gave a short interview – please see below. Commentators were Kevin Hand with fellow sports journalist Andrew McKenna (talkSPORT.com) Weather: cloudy with chilling cross-wind 14C
Glamorgan women wearing daffodil yellow over dark-blue *Skipper Lauren Parfitt *[Pippa Sproul keeping wicket for Middx]; *Poppy Tulloch loaned from Hampshire; *Lauren Parfitt went for a third-ball duck from Lauren Turner’s fourth ball (misreported elsewhere as ‘final delivery of first over’, on account of bowling two previous ‘wides’); *Three balls later, Daisy Jeanes (who held fifth place for league two’s batting averages at 50 overs): was bowled when facing Sonali Patel’s first ball; *Next over, Bethan Gammon snicked-an-edge to keeper Pippa Sproul, from Lauren Turner; *After 6 overs power-play, 28/3; *Two keeper’s catches followed, three balls apart; *Firstly, Bea Ellis was caught behind, from Anaya Patel; *Next over Emily Burke was similarly caught, from Sonali Patel; *By mid-way 41/5; *Next over past mid-way, Gemma Porter was caught by Hannah Davis from Saskia Horley; *Niamh Holland partnered by Poppy Tulloch mounted a rescue, adding 31 runs until top-scorer Niamh Holland was bowled by Hannah Davis; *Last two wickets fell during the 18th over when Sara Phillips went ‘leg-before’ to Hannah Davis; *Next ball, Next ball, Nicole Reid, was run-out 17.2 overs bringing innings to premature end; Glamorgan women batting: Niamh Holland40(39), Poppy Tulloch16(19); Middx women bowling: Sonali Patel 2/9, Hannah Davis 2/14, Lauren Turner 2/20, Saskia Horley 1/13, Anaya Patel 1/14;
Middlesex women wearing navy-blue with pink underarm splash *Skipper Saskia Horley *[Georgia Parfitt keeping wicket for Glamorgan] *Naomi Dattani loaned from Hampshire; *without Olivia Kibler; *Issy Routledge was stumped by Georgia Parfitt, from Gemma Porter; *Naomi Dattani was bowled by Gemma Porter; *After 6 overs power-play, 24/2 (vs 28/3); *Next over, Riva Pindoria was caught by Emily Burke from Sara Phillips; *Level-pegging by mid-way 40/3 (vs41/5); *Next over Finty Trussler was stumped by Georgia Parfitt, from Sara Phillips; *Pippa Sproul went ‘leg-before’ to Gemma Porter; *Finally, Sonali Patel went ‘leg-before’ to Emily Burke; Saskia Horley played a skipper’s innings and hit the winning ’four;’ Middlesex women batting: Saskia Horley21*not out(28) Finty Trussler19(30), Pippa Sproul14(22); Glamorgan bowling: Gemma Porter 3/7, Sara Phillips 2/15, Emily Burke 1/22;
Match result: Middlesex (women) 79/6 (@3.9 runs-per-over from 19.5/20 overs target 78); beat Glamorgan (women) 77/10 (@4.4 r-p-o, from 17.2/20 overs); by four wickets with one ball remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mcd4696f1-4423-458c-a1fa-2f37055caa13
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225349 SKY https://www.skysports.com/cricket/middlesex-women-v-glamorgan-women/scorecard/692301be-0a70-5f4e-940b-d5ff038da9a6
*Full match free-to-air, without commentary courtesy of Middlesex CCC (vertu) [02h42m49s] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-zviudi6_E
*Edited highlights courtesy of Middlesex Cricket via YouTube [05m18s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93i-fmU2eMs
*Chat at the Close with Saskia Horley [03m35s] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-YVXgLqiY
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/11/27/vitality-blast-fixtures-for-season-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/11/27/vitality-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2025/
