Hampshire vs (women) vs Durham Cricket (women) – match 14 – League One – at the Utilita Bowl, Southampton on Saturday 25 April 2026
England seamer Lauren Bell – pictured chalked-up her second ‘list ‘A’ professional 5-fer [taking five wickets, conceding 22 runs] as Hants women ‘comprehensively’ beat Durham Cricket women on a fine sunny day at the Utilita Bowl. After stand-in skipper Naomi Dattani took two Durham Cricket women’s wickets, Lauren Bell’s second spell took five wickets, conceding just four runs. One of three Hants women players returned from England’s recent it20 bootcamp, Lauren Bell told reporters post-match, that she felt ‘in a good place’; ‘firing on all cylinders’ and always hitting-the-stumps. Turning to batters, Hants and England team-mate Maia Bouchier made top-score [47 runs (from 53 balls).] With fastest strike-rate, Freya Kemp was short-lived and scored the only ’six:’ said to be ‘in a hurry’ to post Hants women’s 100 runs. Next over, Abi Norgrove hit the winning ‘four,’ to ‘cruise home’ short of mid-way, for a bonus-point victory. Commentators added that there had been a ‘huge difference’ to Hants women’s performance: Kevan ‘Kev’ James (BBC Sport, Solent radio & former Hants player) with Phil Green (Head women’s Coach at Hursley Park HP); and Rebecca Blake (Romania women’s skipper, World Record holder for scoring 1000 t20 runs at HP from 17 innings (Oct’2025.) Weather: cloudless, warm 17C.
Durham Cricket women wearing three-toned blue-mauve-red vests with yellow logos; *skipper Hollie Armitage *[Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Hants] *guest international Tahlia Wilson (Australia – Women’s Big Bash League);*with Katherine Fraser (Scotland); *also with returning England player Lauren Filer; *’Much-needed breakthrough’ when Emma Marlow was caught by Bex Tyson, from Naomi Dattani; *Score 47/1 after 10 overs power-play; *Cursed by commentators as ‘one of the leading batters, Hollie Armitage clipped a ‘bottom edge,’ and dragged-on to her ‘leg-stump,’ also from Naomi Dattani; *’Big wicket’ when Tahlia Wilson was caught by Bex Tyson, from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Mady Villiers was ‘run out’ by Abi Norgrove’s throw to keeper Rhianna Southby, receiving at the striker’s end; *Mid-way for drinks, 98/4 (25overs); *’Beaten for pace’ when stepping back, Bess Heath was bowled, with ball clipping top of both bails, from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *’Hoiked’ to leg-side, Phoebe Turner lost her middle-stump,’ bowled by Lauren Bell; *Commentator’s curse struck again when Katherine Fraser was thought to be ‘rebuilding,’ but instead went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Lauren Bell for a third-ball ‘duck;’ *On 111/7, ’Nelson’ superstition struck commentators when Sophia Turner was caught by keeper Rhianna Southby, from Lauren Bell for a sixth-ball ‘duck;’ *Lauren Filer went ‘leg-before’ to Lauren Bell, for an eleventh-ball ‘duck;’ *Finally, under ‘even more’ pressure (to put runs on the board) Katie Levick was caught by Freya Kemp, from Lauren Bell who bagged her 5-fer; Durham Cricket women batting: Tahlia Wilson 31(40); Mady Villiers 23(34); Emily Windsor 21*not out(56); Emma Marlow 17(30); Hollie Armitage 11(9); Hampshire women bowling: Lauren Bell 5/22(8.1); Naomi Dattani 2/14(4); Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/18(10);
Hampshire women wearing dark blue tops with yellow hoops, side-stripes and yellow batting pads; *acting skipper Naomi Dattani; *[Tahlia Wilson keeping wicket for Durham Cricket women] *with guest international player Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia A); *also with returning England players Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier & Linsey Smith; *Ella McCaughan was caught at ‘mid-on’ by Sophia Turner, from Mady Villiers;*Score 55/1 (vs 47/1) after 10 overs power-play; *Three short of ‘fifty,’ Maia Bouchier was caught at ‘mid-wicket by Sophia Turner, from Lauren Filer; *Cursed by commentators as a batter ‘who could’t be bowled at,’ Freya Kemp was bowled by Katherine Fraser; *Rhianna Southby was also bowled by Katherine Fraser, for a third-ball ‘duck;’ Next over, Abi Norgrove hit the winning ‘four,’ two balls before reaching mid-way with twenty-five overs to spare; Hampshire women bowling: Maia Bouchier 47(53); Abi Norgrove 29*not out (50); Freya Kemp 13(11); Ella McCaughan 11(28); Durham Cricket women bowling: Katherine Fraser 2/16(4); Mady Villiers 1/19(4.3); Lauren Filer 1/29(5);
Match result: Hampshire (women) 121/4 (@4.9 runs-per-over from 24.3/50overs) beat Durham Cricket (women) 118 ‘All out;’ (@3.2 r-p-o from 36.1/50 ov.) by six wickets with 152 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mc5520000-6664-a623-f28a-08de2dc248bc
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url: https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4408104/metro-bank-one-day-cup-womens-competition-fixtures-2026
