Sussex Sharks (women) vs Middlesex (women) (match 25, league two) double-header fixture at The 1st Central County Ground Hove on Saturday, 5 July 2025 at 15h00
Middlesex women all-but-cemented their place to qualify alongside Glamorgan from the South Group, for Finals Day at Northampton on Saturday, 26 July. Skipper Saskia Horley [42 runs (from 29 balls )] made top-score and held her nerve throughout the match. Although each Middlesex batter scored at a strike-rate of at least one-run-per-ball, only two Sharks women batters made double-figures. Nancy Harman – pictured[77*not out (from 53 balls)] made undefeated top-score for Sharks, partnered by Phoebe Wilkinson38(38.) Tight bowling by Middlesex women ensued that no ‘fours’ were conceded during the last three overs so that Sharks women batters fell short by fifteen runs. Middlesex skipper Saskia Horley’s field-settings together with Hannah Davis bowling the match-winning ‘death’ over kept Sharks at bay by a narrow margin-of-safety. Unusually, Middlesex used fewer bowlers than their opponents. Commentators: Georgie Heath (Women’s cricket chat) with Nikki Chaudhuri (Worcs Rapids player.) Full match was played ‘under floodlights’ despite ‘blustery and gloomy’ weather with grey sky throughout.
Middx. women wearing navy-blue and mauve-pattered over black; * [Mollie Adams keeping wicket for Sharks women]; *skipper Saskia Horley; *without Artemis Downer, *After 6 overs power-play, 59/1; *Finty Trussler was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Daisy Mullan, from Ava Lee;*By mid-way (10 overs) 86/1; *Missing a ‘swipe’ next ball, Issy Routledge was bowled ‘top-of-middle by Eve O’Neill; *With 150 runs on-the-board, Gayatri ‘Gaia’ Gole was caught at ‘backward point’ by Talitha ‘Tia’ Stanley, from Ava Lee; *Next over, when mis-timing a slower ball, Saskia Horley was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Eve O’Neill; *Short of a second run, Georgia Irving sacrificed herself, ‘run-out’ by Nancy Harman’s throw from ‘mid-wicket’ to keeper Molllie Adams receiving at the striker’s end; Middx. women batting: Saskia Horley 42(29), Issy Routledge35(32), Gayatri ‘Gaia’ Gole30(27),Finty Trussler 25(19), Pippa Sproul12*not out(9); Sharks women bowling: Ava Lee 2/22, Eve O’Neill 2/27;
Sharks women wearing pink over black with black chevron *skipper Chiara Green *[Pippa Sproul keeping wicket for Middx women] *debutante Phoebe Wilkinson *with Mollie Adams from Vipers Academy; *with Nancy Harman & Ava Lee (short-term Hants loans); *without Mary or Millie Taylor (playing in league one); *Daisy Mullan was ‘run out’ (Georgia Irving’s throw to keeper Pippa Sproul, from Issy Routledge; *After 6 overs power-play, 44/1 (vs 59/1); *By mid-way (10 overs) 79/1 (vs 86/1);*Phoebe Wilkinson was caught at ‘gully’ by Anaya Patel, from Lauren Turner; *Next over, Chiara Green was ‘run-out’ by Riva Pindoria’s direct-hit to the ‘non-striker’s’ end, from Sonali Patel; *Mis-timing a ‘drive,’ Mollie Adams was bowled by Saskia Horley; *Ava Lee went ’leg-before’ off-stump to Saskia Horley; *Next over, mis-timing a ‘drive’ Talitha ‘Tia’ Stanley was stumped by keeper Pippa Sproul, from Isobel ‘Issy’ Routledge *Eve O’Neill was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Saskia Horley, from Hanna Davis’ penultimate ball; Sharks women batting: Nancy Harman77*not out(53), Phoebe Wilkinson38(38); Middx. women bowling: Saskia Horley 2/24, Hannah Davis 1/14, Issy Routledge 1/25, Lauren Turner 1/34;
Match result: Middlesex (women) 167/5 (@8.3 runs-per-over from 20/20 overs); beat Sussex Sharks (women) 152/7 (@7.6 r-p-o, from 20/20 overs, target 168); by 15 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play@url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mb75960bc-2477-4086-9fd5-9bc7e163947e
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225372 & SKY Sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/sussex-sharks-women-v-middlesex-women/scorecard/d592696a-0d54-582c-b48e-f765971853bb
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Sussex Cricket, ECB & nv play [3h06m40s] via YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnCCJg1AJ_0
*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/
