Worcestershire Rapids (women) vs Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) (match 7, league two – ‘double-header’ fixture) at Visit New Road, Worcester on 24 May 2026
Steelbacks women opened their account with their first win, having had a game-in-hand; sending Rapids women to their first defeat. On the day, best Steelbacks batter was Mabel Reid [35 runs(from 29 balls).] In contrast, one more batter made double-figures for Steelbacks women than for Rapids. Separately, three Rapids batters suffered ‘ducks.’ Turning to bowlers, all bowlers took at least one wicket each for Steelbacks women, with their best bowler Ellie Phillips taking 3 wickets/conceding 28 runs. Only only two Rapids bowlers took wickets. Concluding, commentators believed that the match had been more closely contested than the score-line might suggest. Host commentators were Dave Bradley (BBC Sport, Radio Hereford & Worcs) with Frank Watson (Visit New Road, Worcs County Cricket Club) Intermittent sound with ‘gremlins.’ Weather: glorious sunshine 22C.
Steelbacks women wearing plain pink shirts over dark blue joggers with dark blue pads; *skipper Anisha Patel [Sophie Beech keeping wicket for Rapids] *20ov. debutante Josie Groves (The Blaze); *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 38/0; *Gemma Marriott was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Clare Boycott; *64/1 by ‘mid-way’ (after 10 overs); *Amelia Kemp went ‘leg-before’ to Clare Boycott; *Mabel Reid was ‘run-out’ by Clare Boycott’s throw from ‘mid-off’ to bowler Megan Bishop, receiving at the non-striker’s end; *Beth Ascott was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Ebony-Jade Tweats, from Bryony Gillgrass; *Josie Groves was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Ebony-Jade Tweats, from Bryony Gillgrass; *Chloe Hill was bowled beneath-her-bat by Clare Boycott; Steelbacks women batting: Mabel Reid 35(29); Alicia Prestland 29*not out(19); Gemma Marriott 23(30); Chloe Hill 17(19); Josie Groves 12(9); Rapids women bowling: Clare Boycott 3/24(4); Bryony Gillgrass 2/18(3);
Rapids women wearing light blue patchwork shirts over black joggers, with black pads and with blue helmets; *skipper Clare Boycott *[Chloe Hill keeping wicket for Steelbacks]; with Bryony Gillgrass & Sophie Beech (England u19 tri-series 2026); *without Ruby Davis (moved to Somerset) *debutante Sophia Mitchell; *Bryony Gillgrass was bowled by Bethan Robinson; *Sophie Beech was caught at ‘cover’ by Alicia Prestland, from Ellie V Phillips; *Left-handed batter Gwen Davies was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Ellie V Phillips coming round-the-wicket, falling backward for a ‘golden duck;’ *Sanya Khurana was caught aerial at ‘deep-square’ by Josie Groves from Ellie V Phillips; *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 40/4 (vs 38/0); *Mis-timing ‘square-cut,’ Ebony-Jade Tweats was bowled ‘though-the-gate’ by Anisha Patel; *62/5 (vs 64/1) by ‘mid-way’ (after 10 overs); *Clare Boycott was caught-and-bowled low-down, by Ilenia ‘Lenny’ Sims; *Mis-timing ‘ramp,’ Megan Bishop was caught at ‘short-fine’ by Bethan Robinson, from Amelia Kemp; *Stranded from setting-off prematurely, Caitlin Baker-Smith was ‘run-out’ from ‘mid-off’ by Mabel Reid’s throw to keeper Chloe Hill receiving at the striker’s end – for a ‘fifth-ball duck;’ *Losing her balance, Sophia Mitchell was stumped by keeper Chloe Hill *Four balls later when mis-timing a ’sweep,’ Daisy Egerton went ‘leg-before’ to Josie Groves – for a ‘third-ball duck;’ ; Rapids women batting: Sophia Mitchell 29(30); Clare Boycott 16(21); Sanya Khurana 15(13); Bryony Gillgrass 10(6); Steelbacks women bowling: Ellie V Phillips 3/28(4); Josie Groves 2/17(2.5); llenia ‘Lenny’ Sims 1/11(3); Anisha Patel 1/12(3); Bethan Robinson 1/13(2); Amelia Kemp 1/18(3);
Match result: Northamptonshire Steelbacks (women) 140/6 (@7 runs-per-over from 20 overs) beat Worcestershire Rapids (women) 101 ‘All out’ (@ 5.7 r-p-o; from 17.5/target 141 from 20ov.) by 39 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#me5e80000-9b94-4272-e3de-08de2c26e517
*Upcoming League two fixtures 20ov (2026) @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/12/17/vitality-blast-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2026-4-of-4/
*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/
