Middlesex (women) vs Leicestershire Foxes (women) (match 41 – league two semi-final 1) at Northampton County Ground on Saturday, 26 July 2025, at 11h00
Middlesex women made a ‘completely dominant’ display during their north-south semi-final, having lost one solitary match-to-date. Drama struck during Foxes innings when Issy Routledge’s ball to dismiss Ellen Watson broke a bail. Commentators had never seen this cause a ‘ground delay.’ Middlesex women’s star bowler was newbie Hannah Davis, who took a (Middx) career-best 3-fer (taking 3 wickets/conceding 17 runs.) Turning to Middlesex women’s reply, six overs were docked on account of rain delay. Once play re-started, both Middlesex women’s openers carried their bats. Top-scorer Finty Trussler – pictured [52*not out (from 30 balls)] partnered by Issy Routledge [45*not out (from 34)] chased-down the revised lower target of 107 in a ‘business-like’ manner, similar to their partnerships that lay ‘at the fulcrum of their t20 campaign.’ Summarising the match, commentators felt that Foxes were ‘not quite at their best,’ when confronted by Middlesex’s ‘dominant display.’ Commentators were Michael McCann (Sports journalist) with Georgie Heath (Women’s cricket chat) and Donna Alos (ECB host) presenting pitch-side. Weather: overcast with intermittent rain causing delayed start to second innings. Around 16C.
Foxes women wearing red-with-green-splash *skipper Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker; *[Pippa Sproul keeping wicket for Middlesex women] with Ellen Watson (Scotland international); *Flora Davies, Scarlett Hughes (Blaze/Academy loans) & D’Nica Roff (Blaze loan/ Rep of South Africa) *After 6 overs power-play 40/0;*Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker top-edged and was caught at ‘short-fine’ by Rachana Cambampaty, from Hannah Davis; *By mid-way 66/1; *Francesca Sweet was bowled by a ball that ‘kept low’ from Hannah Davis;*Lucy Weston fell to a ‘simple’ stumping, ‘outside-off’ by Pippa Sproul, from Saskia Horley; *Commentator’s curse struck (prompting cake-eating) when Ellen Watson mis-timed a ‘scoop’ and was bowled by Issy Routledge, clipping and damaging the bails, one of which was replaced after a short interruption; *Top-scorer Scarlett Hughes was caught at ‘long-on’ by Sonali Patel, from Hannah Davis; *Three balls later Flora Davies was stranded when ‘run-out’ by Riva Pindoria’s throw from ‘point’ to bowler Hannah Davis receiving at the non-striker’s end with, both batters situated at the opposite end – Lara Crofts unmoved; *Short of a second run, Lara Crofts was ‘run-out’ Gaia Gole’s throw from ‘deep mid-wicket’ to the non-striker’s end, to bowler Saskia Horley receiving, from the last ball; Foxes women batting: Scarlett Hughes47(37), Francesca Sweet38(33), Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker16(23), Ella Phillips 13*not out(5); Middlesex women bowling: Hannah Davis 3/17, Saskia Horley 1/24, Issy Routledge 1/24;
Middlesex women wearing navy-blue and mauve-pattered over black; *skipper Saskia Horley; *[Ellen Watson keeping wicket for Foxes women] *After 6 overs power-play, 57/0(vs 40/0); After 10 overs 100/0(vs. 66/1); Both batters carried their bats. Middlesex women batting: Finty Trussler 52*not out(30), Issy Routledge 45*not out(34);
Match result: Middlesex (women) 109/0 (@10.2 runs-per-over from 10.4/14 overs/target 107 from 14/14 ov.) beat Leicestershire Foxes (women) 140/7 (@7 runs-per-over, 20/20 overs) by ten wickets; Duckworth-Lewis-Stern ‘DLS’ method; with 20 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m2451cf73-4e61-47fd-95fd-69adbd4604b5
*BBC Sport @url:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225388 SKY Sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/middlesex-women-v-leicestershire-women/scorecard/832beb8b-7c4f-54eb-84e4-c70f62ed077a
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Middlesex Cricket/nv play via YouTube [03h28m46s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBq3IatbslI & Foxes Cricket/nv play via YouTube [02h13m05s] @url: https://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk/videos
*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/2025/07/26/vitality-blast-league-two-fixtures-with-group-stage-results-july-2025/
Footnote: ‘Final’ opponents will be revealed once the second ‘league two’ semi-final outcome is known.
