Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) vs Sussex Sharks (women) (match 16, L2) at Finedon Dolben Cricket Club, Wellingborough (Northants) on Sunday, 10 May 2026
Sharks women turned-around their back-to-back losses to claim their second win this season at 50 overs, ‘beefed-up’ by their Hants loans. Poppy Tulloch 3/23 (seam) and Ava Lee 2/31 (spin) took five wickets between them. Previously, Poppy Tulloch also played on-loan last season, for Glamorgan. In contrast, Steelbacks women went down to their first defeat – a reversal of last-year’s match when Steelbacks beat Sharks by a similar margin (match 35; 17 Aug’25.) Sharks women lost two early ‘power-play’ wickets, when top-scorer Phoebe Wilkinson [88 runs (from 126 balls)] scored eleven ‘fours’ and was the only batter to pass ‘fifty.’ Previously, Phoebe Wilkinson was also top-scorer with ‘fifty,’ at the previous match (vs Kent-Horses.) Turning to Steelbacks women, Ella Phillips 3/53 was pick-of-the-bowlers. When batting, Beth Ascott 38(59) made top-score. Steelbacks started well on 73/1, but lost their next four ‘top-order’ batters for just 30 runs in miserable weather conditions. Weather: cloudy grey, chilly throughout 10C.
Sharks women wearing pink with black joggers; skipper Chiara Green *[Chloe Hill keeping wicket for Steelbacks]; with Ava Lee & Poppy Tulloch (Hants loans); *Mollie Adams returned a ‘dolly,’ caught-and-bowled by Ella V Phillips; *Issy Collis was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Bethan Robinson; *Score 37/2 after 10 overs power-play; *Shristi Patil was caught aerial at ‘square’ by Ella V Phillips from Lenny Sims *Drinks taken mid-way, on 95/3; *Sweeping to ‘square,’ Bella Johnson was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Ella V Phillips; *Mis-timing a ‘swipe,’ Chiara Green was stumped by Chloe Hill, from Ella V Phillips; *Phoebe Wilkinson was bowled with her ‘off-stump’ rattled, by Gemma Marriott; *Poppy Tulloch was caught aerial at ‘deep-extra-cover’ by Meg Austin, from Bethan Robinson; *Ava Lee wafered an edge, caught by keeper Chloe Hill, from Gemma Marriott; *Short of a second ‘run,’ Anna Buckle was ‘run-out’ from the ‘covers’ by Amelia Kemp’s throw to keeper Chloe Hill; Sharks women batting: Phoebe Wilkinson 88(126); Chiara Green 43(27); Bella J 38(53); Poppy Tulloch 25(20); Shristi Patil 23(27); Izzy Collis 18(18); Steelbacks women bowling: Ella V Phillips 3/53(10); Bethan Robinson 2/46(9); Gemma Marriott 2/44(7); Lenny Sims 1/25(10);
Steelbacks women wearing pale blue tops with black joggers and pads; skipper (50ov) Anisha Patel [Mollie Adams keeping wicket for Sharks]; with Meg Austin (Bears loan); *During the power-play Chloe Hill was bowled by Poppy Tulloch; *Score 43/1 (vs 37/2) after 10 overs power-play; *Amelia Kemp was caught at ’cover’ by Kali-Ann Docherty, from Eve O’Neill; *Meg Austin went ‘leg-before’ to Chiara Green; *Gemma Marriott was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ with balls sent flying by Chiara Green; *Mis-timing a ‘sweep,’ Ava Clive was bowled by Ava Lee; *Drinks taken mid-way, on 120/5 (vs 95/3); *Without foot movement, Beth Ascott was bowled ‘middle-and-leg’ by Ava Lee; *Lenny Sims was stumped by keeper Mollie Adams, from Chiara Green; *Mabel Reid was ‘run-out’ by Shristi Patil’s throw from ‘short-fine’ to Ava Lee receiving at the non-strikers’s end; *Ella V Phillips was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Poppy Tulloch; *Finally, playing across-the-line, skipper Anisha Patel was also bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Poppy Tulloch; Steelbacks women batting: Beth Ascott 38(59); Amelia Kemp 32(47); Meg Austin 23(41); Lenny Sims 20(26); Ava Clive 12(17);Sharks women bowling: Poppy Tulloch 3/23(5.1); Chiara Green 3/36(10); Ava Lee 2/31(9); Eve O’Neill 1/52(8);
Match result: Sussex Sharks (women) 268/9 (@5.3 runs-per-over from 50/50 overs;) beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) 192 ‘All out’ (@ 4.6 r-p-o from 41.1/50) ov., by 76 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m37ee94b2-0a7c-4c9d-a287-280f524125b6
*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/
