Essex women vs Birmingham Bears women (match 8 league one ‘double-header’) at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford on Wednesday, 4 June 2025 (18h00)
Essex bagged their second home win in four days following a rain-affected match during which six overs were docked from each innings. When play resumed, Essex batters continued to score faster than one-run-per-ball. Lissy MacLeod mode top-score [44 runs (from 24 balls).] Milly Taylor was ‘pick-of-the-bowlers’ for Bears, taking 2/27 with her left-arm spin. Closely-contested match unfolded as Dutch international Sterre Kalis made top-score for Bears with ’fifty’ from just twenty-five balls. Esmae MacGregor 3/32 was ‘pick-of-the-bowlers’ for Essex. Home team commentators complemented Essex women’s coherent team performance with bat, ball and in-the-field, given such unpredictable playing conditions. Essex move ahead of Bears on points, after three rounds played-to-date. For Bears, it was their first defeat, having previously won one and tied one. Commentary by Guy Swindells with Dan Whiting (@Themiddlestump.) Weather: Cloudy, with ‘fleeting’ sunshine but ’slightly wet and windy’ 14C.
Essex women wearing full-fronted red, full-backed mauve over sleeveless navy blue; *skipper Grace Scrivens (‘England ‘A’); *[Abbey Freeborn keeping wicket for Bears]; *with international player Madeline ‘Maddie’ Penna (Australia); *Grace Scrivens was stumped by Abbey Freeborn from left-armed Charis Pavely; at which point rain stopped play. Play resumed again after eighty minutes. *By 5.1 overs ‘power-play’ 55/1; *’Impressive’ Lauren Winfield-Hill was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Issy Wong, from Milly Taylor’s left-armed spin;* After 10 overs 97/2; *Maddie Penna drove aerial to ‘deep-mid-wicket’, caught by Katie George, from Milly Taylor; *Finally, Lissy MacLeod was ‘run out’ short of a run, with Abbey Freeborn breaking the stumps at the striker’s end; from Issy Wong’s delivery to Alex Griffith; *Cordelia Griffith was ’not out’; Essex women batting: Lissy MacLeod44(24), Grace Scrivens36(23), Maddy Penna27(12), Lauren Winfield-Hill21(14), Cordelia Griffith18*not out(11); Bears women bowling: Milly Taylor 2/27, Issy Wong 1/33;
Bears women wearing ’sky’ blue diamond cheque with yellow trim over dark blue; with yellow helmets and black caps; *Skipper Georgia Davis *[Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for Essex] *with international players Laura Harris (Australia) & Sterre Kalis (NL); *Without Emily ‘Em’ Arlott for England call-up; *with Amu Surenkumar, Essex loan; *’Dangerous’ Davina Perrin was caught aerial at ‘mid-wicket’, by Eva Gray, from Kate Coppack; *By 4 overs ‘power-play’ 48/1 (5.1 overs 54/1 vs 60/1); *Issy Wong went aerial to ‘cover,’ caught by Kate Coppack, from Esmae MacGregor; *Laura Harris was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Esmae MacGregor; *Abbey Freeborn was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Maddy Penna, from Sophia Smale’s left-armed spin; *After 10 overs 91/4 (vs 97/2); *Charis Pavely, was caught at ‘mid-off’ (to the left-hander) by Maddy Penna, from Sophia Smale’s spin; *Katie George steepled to ‘short-third,’ caught by Lissy MacLeod, from Eva Gray; *Sterre Kalis sound aerial to ‘deep-square,’ caught by Sophia Smale, from Esmae MacGregor; *Amu Surenkumar was ‘run-out’ at the striker’s end (with both batters stranded at the non-striker’s end) from Cordelia Griffith’s throw via Esmae MacGregor, to keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill; Bears women batting: Sterre Kalis52(25), Davina Perrin 28(12), Abbey Freeborn 25(22), Issy Wong 19(12); Essex women bowling: Esmae MacGregor 3/32, Sophia Smale 2/13, Kate Coppack 1/27, Eva Gray 1/28;
*Match result: Essex (women) 154/4 (@11 runs-per-over from 14/14overs) beat Birmingham Bears (women) 139/8 (@10 r-p-o from 14/14 overs/target 155 from 14/14 overs) by 19 runs – Duckworth Lewis Stern ‘DLS’ method
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m5e621914-2545-4b8a-8a4c-5dceb2771ab9
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225297 SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/essex-women-v-bears-women/scorecard/d0929e83-525d-5905-a9c3-a679fe18f8af
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Essex Cricket (nv play) via YouTube [03h58m52s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCrJCUh1gI&t=21s
*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/
