Lancashire Thunder (women) vs Essex (women) (match 35, league one – ‘stand-alone’ fixture) at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday 5 July 2025 (11h00)
Thunder bagged their fourth win from nine matches, happy with positive outcome from a floodlit match interrupted by two hours of legendary Old Trafford rain (11h22-13h20). When play resumed with twelve overs docked from each innings and a new target set, Essex women were ‘quickly in trouble’ on 38/6. Internationals Alana King (Australia leg-spin) and Kate Cross (England seamer) took two wickets each in difficult ‘English summer’ conditions with constant ball-towelling. Lauren Winfield-Hill was the only Essex batter to reach double-figures. By contrast, both Thunder’s openers reached double-figures, making light work of their run-chase. Top-scorer Emma Lamb [21 runs (from 17 balls)] departed four runs short victory. Next over, Thunder’s match-winning ‘four’ was scored from a ‘wide’. Commentators were Fraser Dainton for Lancs TV, with Paul Shaw (former England Women’s head coach & exThunder Coach.) Also with Ailsa Lister, interviewed post-match. Weather was overcast with rain stopping play – as mentioned above.
Essex women wearing full-fronted red, full-backed mauve over sleeveless navy blue; *skipper Eva Gray; *[Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder]; *with international player Madeline ‘Maddie’ Penna (Australia); *with Abtaha Maqsood (Scotland), *without Grace Scrivens or Jodi Grewcock (‘England ‘A’ call-up); *Mis-timing a ‘swipe’, Lissy MacLeod was bowled with her leg-stump flattened by Phoebe Graham; *Slicing a ‘top-edge,’ Lauren Winfield-Hill was caught at ‘cover’ by Ailsa Lister, from Tara Norris; After 5 overs power-play, the match resumed after a lengthy hiatus for rain, shortened to eight overs-per-innings; *Maddie Penna, was caught at ‘square’ by Ailsa Lister, from Alana King; *Three balls later, Cordelia Griffith was caught behind by keeper Ellie Threlkeld, from Alana King; *Next over, Jo Gardner was bowled with her leg-stump flattened by Kate Cross; *Three balls later, Eva Gray was caught by keeper Ellie Threlkeld, from Kate Cross; *Short of a second round from the final innings ball, Amara Carr was ‘run-out’ by Kate Cross’ throw to keeper Ellie Threlkeld receiving at the striker’s end; Essex women batting: Lauren Winfield-Hill 13(18); Thunder women bowling: Kate Cross 2/9, Alana King 2/17, Phoebe Graham 1/5, Tara Norris 1/16;
Thunder women wearing rose-red with thin dark blue shards; *skipper Ellie Threlkeld; *[Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Bears]; *International player Alana King (Australia); *with Ailsa Lister(Scotland); *Thunder needed just six overs to secure their win, despite reduced power-play; *Eve Jones was caught at ‘cover’ by Lissy MacLeod, from Eva Gray; *Emma Lamb was ‘run-out’ by Abtaha Maqsood’s throw to keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill receiving at the striker’s end, from Sophia Smale coming round-the-wicket; Thunder women batting: Emma Lamb 21(17), Eve Jones 17(13); Essex women bowling: Eva Gray 1/7; Alisa Lister and Alana King were undefeated.
*Match result: Lancashire Thunder (women) 55/2 (@9.1 runs-per-over from 6/8 overs/target 52 from 8/8overs) beat Essex (women) 47/7 (@5.8 r-p-o from 8/8 overs) by eight wickets (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#m44f27dbf-5c15-464e-a887-b7f5db57a290
*BBC Sport @url:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225324 & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/lancashire-thunder-v-essex-women/scorecard/5ed93c84-3b35-53a4-98ab-077e4c8748fd
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of LancsTV ‘Live ‘(nv play) via YouTube [03h52m35s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTAIPFkfFx0
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/06/22/vitality-blast-league-one-fixtures-and-results-to-june-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/07/02/vitality-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2025-2/
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