Worcestershire Rapids (women) v Yorkshire (women) (match 38 – league two) at Visit Worcestershire New Road, Worcester on Sunday 20 July 2025 (14h30)
Yorkshire women kept a clean sheet with eight wins from eight. Yorkshire head coach Rich Pyrah told reporters he was ‘pleased’ to finish the group stage top-of-table, with a good performance and ‘great effort’ winning two games in three days. Once Rapids women were bowled-out, rain delayed the re-start by 55 minutes and a revised (lower) target was set using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern ‘DLS’ method. Playing without three league-one professionals, Yorkshire women’s second wicket partnership between top-scorer Erin Thomas [35 runs(from 27 balls) and Rebecca ‘Becca’ Duckworth [29(from 26)] together scored a match-winning 66. Destined to become ‘league-one professionals’ next year (with or without ’silverware’,) Yorkshire women will play Glamorgan women (2nd placed South Group) in the semi-final with favourable expectation to meet either Middlesex (1st placed South Group) or Foxes (2nd placed North Group) in the Northampton County Ground final. Commentators were Polly Starkie (Social media co-host ‘Noughtie Child Podcast’ and ‘HerGameToo’ cricket ambassador) and Jim Dale (host of ‘On a Pear’ social media ‘podcast’ representing Worcester Cricket.) Weather: grey cloudy with intermittent light showers.
Rapids women wearing light blue front/mid-hooped back uppers, over lower black; *skipper Clare Boycott *[Maddie Ward keeping wicket for Yorkshire women] *debutante Samadhi Samarakoon (UAE) *with Ruby Davis (loaned to Somerset -league one- short-term) *with Ebony-Jade Tweats (Warwickshire Academy); *Amy Wheeler (Blaze academy); Emily Churms (Shropshire loan, final ‘final’ match), *Amelia Love (u-19 development), *Caitlin Baker-Smith (15yo); *Clare Boycott was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Ami Campbell from Jess Woolston; *Ebony-Jade Tweats was ‘run-out’ by Claudie Cooper’s direct-hit from ‘point’ to the non-striker’s end, from Amelia Love; *After 6 overs power-play, 38/2; *Mis-timing a ‘sweep,’ Bryony Gillgrass went ‘leg-before’ to Jeanie Lee; *Left-handed Gwen Davies was caught-and-bowled at chest-height by Olivia ‘Liv’ Thomas (full-toss); *Three balls later Sophie Beech was caught at ‘cover’ by Rebecca ‘Becca’ Duckworth from Olivia ‘Liv’ Thomas; *Mid-way (10overs) 55/5; *Mis-timing a ramp, Ruby Davis was bowled by Jeanie Lee’s slower ball; *Poppy Davies was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Claudie Cooper, from Amelia Love; *Emily Churms was bowled ’top-of-middle’ by Claudie Cooper; *Short of a second run, Amy Wheeler was ‘run-out’ by Olivia ‘Liv’ Thomas’s throw from ‘long-on’ to bowler Claudie Cooper’s relay to keeper Maddie Ward; *Mistiming a ‘huge heave’ Samadhi Samarakoon, was stumped by Maddie Ward from Amelia Love’s final ball; Rapids women batting Ruby Davis29(34), Amy Wheeler16(12), Ebony-Jade Tweats 10(10), Samadhi Samarakoon10(15); Yorkshire women bowling Olivia ‘Liv’ Thomas 2/10, Jeanie Lee 2/11, Amelia Love 2/21, Claudie Cooper 1/21, Jess Woolston 1/28;
Yorkshire women wearing sheer diamond-patterned light blue over dark blue; *skipper Maddie Ward (England u19s) *[Sophie Beech keeping wicket for Rapids women] *debutante Jeanie Lee *with Georgie Boyce (Blaze loan), *Mis-timing a ‘full toss,’ Georgie Boyce was caught aerial at ‘mid-on’ by Ebony-Jade Tweats, from seamer Amy Wheeler’s ‘full-toss’ for a fifth ball ‘duck;’ *After 6 overs (including shorter power-play) 57/1 (vs 38/2); *Mistiming aerial, Erin Thomas was caught at ‘backward point’ by Gwen Davies from seamer Caitlin Baker-Smith;*Ahead after 10overs) 72/2 (vs 55/5); *Rebecca ’Becca’ Duckworth was bowled ;through-the-gate’ by Bryony Gillgrass; *Attempting ‘reverse sweep’ four balls later, Maddie Ward went ‘leg-before’ to spinner Bryony Gillgrass; Olivia ‘Liv’ Thomas scored the winning ‘two;’ Yorkshire women batting: Erin Thomas35(27), Rebecca ‘Becca’ Duckworth29(26), Ami Campbell11*not out(8); Rapids women bowling: Bryony Gillgrass 2/16, Amy Wheeler 1/19, Caitlin Baker-Smith 1/22, Jess Woolston 1/28;
Yorkshire (women) 93/4 (@6.6 runs-per-over, 12.5/16 overs/ target 93 from 16/16 ov.) beat Worcestershire Rapids (women) 109/10 (@5.4 runs-per-over, 20/20 overs) by six wickets with 19 balls remaining – 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#m1293eb07-3e1a-46ed-8f7c-3b149f8263b9
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225387 SKY Sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/worcestershire-rapids-women-v-yorkshire-women/scorecard/dd719768-3180-534a-b138-6c9a6d115e40
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Worcestershire Cricket/nv play via YouTube [02h50m53s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UtiXi2n2_w
*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/
