Birmingham Bears vs Somerset (match 11, league one ‘double-header’) at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham on Friday, 6 June 2025 (15h00)
Bears made an ‘emphatic’ performance, bagging a bonus point to go top-of-table. Post-match, ‘Bears TV’ interviewed congratulated Vertu POTM Australian Laura Harris for her unprecedented achievement, scoring back-to-back ‘fifties’ in less than 20 balls. Aaron Viles said she was the first player to do so, for women’s cricket. She told commentators (when taking strike) that she liked to keep her foot ‘close to the ball.’ Previously, Laura Harris broke Sophie Devine’s ten-year-old fastest fifty record on the same ground (versus Durham Cricket – match 4 on 31 May.) A match-winning partnership with fellow international player Sterre Kalis set-up a challenging run chase for Somerset women, where only three batters reached double-figures. Commentators were Aatif Nawaz (Bears livestream host) with Adam Bridge, Aaron Viles (Cricketfanaticsmag.com) and guest player Chloe Brewer. Weather was mainly cloudy 14C.
Bears women wearing ’sky’ blue diamond cheque with yellow trim over dark blue; with yellow helmets and black caps; *skipper Georgia Davis *[Rebecca ‘Bex’ Odgers keeping wicket for Somerset] *with international players Laura Harris (Australia) & Sterre Kalis (NL); *Without Emily ‘Em’ Arlott for England call-up; *debutante Hannah Hardwick; *Abbey Freeborn, 1.1 ov), went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Mollie Robbins; *Promoted to opener, Issy Wong, 1.5 ov), was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Amanda-Jade Wellington, from Mollie Robbins, *Davina Perrin, 3.4 ov), was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by Mollie Robbins;*After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 54/3. *Natasha ‘Nat’ Wraith, was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Charis Pavely, 9.6 ov), was caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Fran Wilson, from Alex Griffiths;*By ‘mid-way’ 73/5 after 10 overs; *Non-striker Sterre Kalis, was ‘run-out’ when the ball cannoned to the stumps via the bowler, Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Millie Taylor was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by by Hannah Jones;*Georgia Davis was caught-and-bowled low-down by Chloe Skelton; *Diving Laura Harris was ‘run-out’ by Chloe Skelton’s throw from ‘long-on’ to keeper Rebecca ‘Bex’ Odgers; Bears batting Laura Harris77(34), Sterre Kalis32(27), Natasha ‘Nat’ Wraith15(13), Davina Perrin 15(11); Somerset women bowling Mollie Robbins 3/24, Alex Griffiths 1/16, Hannah Jones 1/19, Chloe Skelton 1/30, Amanda-Jade Wellington 1/43;
Somerset women wearing pink over black with plum helmets *skipper Sophie Luff [Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Bears]; *international player Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia ‘A’); *without Dani Gibson, Heather Knight or Katie Jones; *debutante Hannah Jones; *Mis-timing a ‘swipe,’ Rebecca ‘Bex’ Odgers, went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Issy Wong; *Amelie Munday, was ‘nicely’ stumped Natasha Wraith, with ‘brilliant’ bowling from Georgia Davis; *Mis-timing aerial, Sophie Luff, was caught-and-bowled by Hannah Baker; *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 38/2 (vs 54/3); By ‘mid-way’ 59/2 (vs 73/5) after 10 overs; *Mis-timing ‘reverse-sweep,’ Amanda-Jade Wellington was bowled by Millie Taylor; *Next ball, new over: Fran Wilson, was caught at ‘deep-mid-off’ by Hannah Baker, from Georgia Davis; *Alex Griffiths was caught low down by Abbey Freeborn, from Georgia Davis; *Chloe Skelton was caught at ‘cover’ by Laura Harris, from Millie Taylor *Next ball, Mollie Robbins, went ‘leg-before’ to Millie Taylor who was on a ‘hat-trick;’ *Hannah Jones, was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Davina Perrin, from Issy Wong; Victory was handed to Bears with Emma Corney absent injured and unable to bat; Somerset batting Fran Wilson31(32), Amelie Munday19(17), Sophie Luff13(16); Bears women bowling Georgia Davis 3/12, Millie Taylor 3/13, Issy Wong 2/18, Hannah Baker 1/19;
*Match result: Birmingham Bears (women) 172/9Â (@8.6 runs-per-over from 20/20overs) beat Somerset (women) 103 All Out (@5.2 r-p-o from 19.1/20 overs; target 173 from 20 overs) by 69 runswith five balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m5e12ee33-0a38-474d-b6b7-e7751eb22b4f
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225300 & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/bears-women-v-somerset-women/scorecard/cab32088-ae5a-50de-842d-c718a38a6240
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Warwickshire County Cricket Club with Laura Harris interview (Vertu POTM) via YouTube [03h37m04s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ_leDhz5IA
*Match highlights courtesy of England & Wales Cricket Board ECB [09m40s] @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/video/4279425/bears-women-vs-somerset-women–match-highlights
*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/
