Kent (Horses) vs Gloucestershire (women) (match 20-L2 – stand alone fixture) at The Spitfire Ground St Lawrence, Canterbury on Friday 27 June 2025 (17h30)
Match Celebrated Canterbury’s ‘173rd Kent cricket week.’ Commentator described ‘faultless’ captaincy by Liv Daniels, bagging Glos womens’ first win in this year’s competition, also said to be ‘well-deserved.’ After Gloucester’s ’tricky start,’ Bea Willis [34 runs(from 28 balls)] with Prarthana Reddy 45(40) staged a match-winning 61-run partnership. Kent fielders took six catches, their bowlers taking at least one wicket each. Accurate ’stump-to-stump’ bowling turned out to be the key feature of the match. All-but-one wicket tumbled (19/20) and most batters departed for single-figures. Host commentator’s curses gave way to realisation that Kent were in a ‘spot of bother,’ once their required-run-rate began to escalate with five overs remaining. Post-match, the hosts had ‘many positives’ to take home – for skipper Megan Belt’s interview – please see below. Unannounced commentator Kevin Hand (Sports Journalist) with guest Kent player Mollie Davis. Weather: mainly sunny 22C.
Glos women wearing yellow and black with yellow shoulder stripes; *skipper Olivia ‘Liv’ Daniels *[Megan Sturge keeping wicket for Kent (Horses)] *debutante Ella Darlington *without Mollie Davis (on commentary) or Emily Thompson; *Mis-timing across-the-line, Georgina Cant was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Coco Streets, for a third-ball ‘duck;’ *Melissa Story was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Coco Streets diving ‘two-handed’, from Amy Gordon; *Left-hander Emily Geach, was caught at ‘deep mid-on’ by Amy Gordon from Genevieve Jeer’s ‘slower ball’, for a seventh-ball ‘duck;’ *After 6 overs power-play 31/3; Mid-way (10ov) 62/3; *Bea Willis was caught at ‘long-on’ by Isobel ‘Issy’ James, from Zeena Bilal; *Prarthana Reddy was caught at ‘deep-mid-off’ by Amy Gordon, from Isobel ‘Issy’ James; *Liv Daniels Was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Isobel Kirby, from Megan Belt; *Last five overs accelerated scoring; *Caitlin Belcher chopped-on from an ‘inside-edge’, bowled with ‘leg-stump bail’ sent flying by Zeena Bilal; *Failing to ground her bat, Charlotte R ‘Charlie’ Phillips was stumped by Megan Sturge, from Sydney Gorham; *Hesitating for a second run from the final innings ball, Alice Bird was ‘run out’ by Coco Streets throw to Sydney Gorham, and left stranded at the non-striker’s end; Glos women batting: Prarthana Reddy45(40), Bea Willis34(28), Meg Ahearne16*not out(20); Kent (Horses) women bowling: Zeena Bilal 2/16, Sydney Gorham 2/17, Amy Gordon 1/8, Genevieve Jeer 1/18, Isobel ‘Issy’ James 1/27, Megan Belt 1/29;
Kent (Horses) women: wearing navy blue with light blue sleeves over black; *skipper Megan Belt *[Meg Ahearne keeping wicket for Glos] *debutante Bhoomika Bhat, *Genevieve Jeer (Surrey loan), *Megan Sturge (Hants loan); *Megan Sturge was bowled ‘middle-stump’ by Bea Willis yorker; *After 6 overs power-play 37/1 (vs 31/3); *Genevieve Jeer was bowled ‘middle-and-off-stump’ by Liv Daniels full-length; *Given an earlier reprieve by keeper, Amy Gordon was bowled ‘off-stump,’ by Alice Bird; *Mis-timing ‘reverse-sweep’ Elsa Barnfather, was bowled ‘leg-stump,’ by Liv Daniels; *Mis-timing ‘slog-sweep’ Coco Streets, was bowled ‘leg-stump,’ by Liv Daniels; Mid-way (10ov) 56/5 (vs 62/3); *Ella Darlington was ‘run-out’ from ‘mid-off’ by Emily Geach’s throw to Bhoomika Bhat receiving at the non-striker’s end; *Mis-timing a ‘slog’ Isobel ‘Issy’ Kirby, was caught at ‘in-the-deep’ by Prarthana Reddy, from Bhoomika Bhat; *Zeena Bilal was ‘run-out’ by Bhoomika Bhat’s throw from ‘backward point’ to keeper Meg Ahearne, receiving at the striker’s end, from Charlie Phillips; *Playing defensively, Sydney Gorham, was bowled ‘middle stump,’ by Caitlin Belcher’s yorker, for a tenth ball ‘duck;’ *Megan Belt was bowled ‘off-stump,’ by Caitlin Belcher, handing victory to the visitors with two overs remaining; Kent women batting: Isobel ‘Issy’ Kirby14(19), Megan Sturge12(9), Ella Darlington12(17), Amy Gordon11(20); Glos women bowling: Liv Daniels 3/13, Caitlin Belcher 2/8, Bhoomika Bhat 1/18, Bea Willis 1/19;
Match result: Gloucestershire (women) 123/9 (@6.1 runs-per-over, 20/20 overs) beat Kent Horses (women) 91/10 (@5.1 runs-per-over from 17.5/20 overs, target 124 from 20/20 ov.) by 32 runs with 13 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mee9b3e1a-696f-4a2f-af37-a7d6d8a5aa70
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225366 SKY @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/kent-women-v-gloucestershire-women/scorecard/d201a03c-db0d-5fd8-ba7d-a4b0c9f99b22
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Kent Cricket (nv play/Clubberly) [02h53m40s] via YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii_Y1ZeGPmU & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii_Y1ZeGPmU&t=1s
*Post-match interview ’Megan Belt after defeat to Gloucestershire’ courtesy of Kent Cricket & Clubberly [03m17s] via YouTube @url: https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/match-report-kent-women-vs-gloucestershire/
*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/
