Gloucestershire (women) vs Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) – match 10 – League Two – at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, on Sunday, 3 May 2026
Steelbacks women bagged their third win, staging a repeat performance of last year’s match; leaving Gloucestershire women yet to open their account. Both innings began by peppering each other’s batters with the same number of unplayable ‘dot’ balls. Gloucs women were unable to form any substantive partnerships as Steelbacks bowlers took at least one wicket each at regular intervals until they were bowled-out. Skipper Anisha Patel – 3/15 (spin) and Bethan Robinson 3/39 (seam) both took 3-fers. In contrast, only two Gloucestershire women bowlers took wickets. Best Gloucs bowler was Alice Bird 3/32. Turning to Steelbacks batters reply, they recovered well from 19/4 with a match-winning century fifth-wicket partnership of 128-runs (undefeated) during which both batters scored ‘fifties.’ Josie Groves 62*not out – pictured hit 8 ’fours’; and 2 ‘sixes’ (on debut, loaned from The Blaze) was partnered by Beth Ascott 53*not out. Seven ‘extras’ from the final ‘over’ nudged Steelbacks women across-the-line. Weather: cloudy with showers forecast for later, 16C.
Gloucestershire women wearing black with heraldic county logos and black joggers; skipper Olivia ‘Liv’ Daniels; *[Chloe Hill keeping wicket for Steelbacks]; *Laila Moledina was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Bethan Robinson; *Megan ‘Meg’ Ahearne was caught horizontally at ‘point’ by Lenny Sims, from Ella V Phillips; *Score. 35/2 after 10 overs power-play; *Prarthana Reddy steepled to ‘first-slip,’ collected by Chloe Hill, from Mabel Reid; *Becca Halliday was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Beth Ascott, from spinner Lenny Sims; *Mis-timing ‘off-cut,’ Emily Geach went ‘leg-before’ to Josie Groves; *IPC Patel was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Anisha Patel; *Mis-timing an ‘square-cut,’ Georgina Start was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Anisha Patel; *Drinks taken on 111/7, midway after 25 overs; *Liv Daniels went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Anisha Patel; *Alice Hill went ‘leg-before,’ ‘middle-and-leg’ to seamer Bethan Robinson; *Charlotte R ‘Charley’ Phillips was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with both bails sent flying by Bethan Robinson; Gloucs women batting: Becca Halliday 46(50); Georgina Start 28(28); Liv Daniels 17(39); Alice Hill 11(47); Steelbacks women bowling: Anisha Patel 3/15(10); Bethan Robinson 3/39(9); Mabel Reid 1/17(3); Lenny Sims 1/20(3); Josie Groves 1/23(8); Ella V Phillips 1/27(10);
Steelbacks women wearing pale blue tops with black joggers and pads; skipper (50ov) Anisha Patel [Megan ‘Meg’ Ahearne keeping wicket for Gloucs]; *debutante Josie Groves (The Blaze loan) *Amelia Kemp was bowled by Alice Bird; *Chloe Hill went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Charlotte R ‘Charley’ Phillips; *Ava Clive went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Alice Bird; *Missing a ‘swipe’ Gemma Marriott was caught by keeper Meg Ahearne from Alice Bird; *Score 36/4 (vs35/2) after 10 overs power-play; *Drinks taken mid-way, on 121/4 (vs 111/7); Steelbacks women batting: Josie Groves 62*not out(70); Beth Ascott 53*not out(73); Gloucs women bowling: Alice Bird 3/32(7.3); Charlotte R ‘Charley’ Phillips 1/45(8);
Match result: Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) 147/4 (@5.3 runs-per-over from 27.3/50 overs; target 144 from 50 ov) beat Gloucestershire (women) 143 ‘All out’ (@ 3.2 r-p-o from 43.5/50) ov., by six wickets with 135 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#mc5520000-6664-a623-13df-08de2dc24e37
*Upcoming League two fixtures 50ov (2026) @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/04/25/metro-bank-one-day-cup-womens-tournament-for-50-overs-league-two-may-update-2026/
*Top ten ‘leagues one and two’ best 50ov batters (2025) @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/03/30/inaugural-metrobank-one-day-cup-2025-womens-top-ten/
*Top ten ‘leagues one and two’ best 50ov bowlers (2025) http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/04/03/inaugural-metrobank-one-day-cup-2025-womens-top-ten-bowlers/
