Lancashire (women) vs Essex (women) – match 46 – League One – at Blackpool Cricket Club, Stanley Park Blackpool (Lancs) on 23 June 2026
Described as a ‘basement battle’ between struggling teams, home-team commentators remained optimistic for Lancs women as defending champions who beat Essex women by a wide-margin. Opening partnership between Emma Lamb and top-scorer Eve Jones [55(78) saw Eve Jones as the first batter to pass 500 runs in this season’s ‘league-one’ competition. Spinner Fi Morris – pictured took a career-best 6-fer for Lancs women. Commentators ‘couldn’t have asked for more:’ Fi Morris surpassing her previous best performance when taking 5 wickets last year: (5/48 versus Bears on 14 May’25.) Summing-up, commentators seemed disappointed that Essex womens’ run-chase ‘never really got going,’ faced by Fi Morris’ outstanding performance. Resident Lancs TV Livestream commentators were Mike Perkins (Sports journalist, Lancs TV) with Scott Read; (Sports journalist, BBC radio Lancashire) and guests. Weather: unusually hot 25C.
Lancashire women wearing two-toned navy blue with red-rose arm hoops and logos; *skipper Ellie Threlkeld*[Ariana Dowse keeping wicket for Essex] *guest International player Katie MacK (Australia WBBL); *without Ailsa Lister (Scotland t20 World Cup call-up);*Score 47/0 after 10 overs power-play; *Mis-timing a ‘drive,’ Emma Lamb was stumped by keeper Ariana Dowse, from seamer Esmae MacGregor; *Katie MacK was ‘run-out’ from ‘mid-off’ by Eva Gray’s direct-hit to the non-striker’s end, from Bryony Gillgrass; *Mid-way 127/2 after 25ov; *Left-handed batter Tilly Kesteven was caught-and-bowled one-handed by Bryony Gillgrass; *Left-handed batter Eve Jones was caught at ‘mid-on’ by Eva Gray, from Anneke Bosch; *Drinks at 32.5ov 172/4: *Ellie Threlkeld was caught-and-bowled low-down by Anneke Bosch; *Fi Morris was caught aerial at ‘cover’ by Anneke Bosch, from Esmae MacGregor; *Seren Smale was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Jo Gardner, from Esmae MacGregor; *Tara Norris was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Eva Gray; *Kate Cross was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Jo Gardner, from Eva Gray; Lancs women batting: Eve Jones 54(78); Seren Smale 38(36); Emma Lamb 35(42); Tilly Kesteven 32(33); Fi Morris 23(25); Kate Cross 24(21); Ellie Threlkeld 21(31); Katie MacK 15(29); Essex women bowling: Esmae MacGregor 3/44(9); Eva Gray 2/47(8); Anneke Bosch 2/35(10); Bryony Gillgrass 1/44(8);
Essex (women) wearing mauve tops and blue batting pads; acting skipper Eva Gray; [Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Lancs]; *with debutante Bryony Gillgrass (Warwicks loan, U19 Tri-Series Squad 2026); *guest International player Anneke Bosch (Republic of South Africa); *Playing across-the-line, Lissy MacLeod went ‘leg-before’ to Tara Norris, for a third-ball ‘duck;’ *Bryony Gillgrass was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Kate Cross’ in-swing; *Playing across-the-line, Ariana Dowse went ‘leg-before’ to Kate Cross; *Score 43/3 (vs47/0 ) after 10 overs power-play; *Anneke Bosch was caught sweeping to ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Seren Smale, from Fi Morris; *drinks on 61/4 (16.1ov); *Jo Gardner was caught at ‘deep mid-on’ by Kate Cross, from Fi Morris; *Carbon-copy dismissal when Liberty Heap was caught at ‘deep mid-on’ by Kate Cross, from Fi Morris; *Mid-way 83/6 (vs127/2) after 25ov; *Eva Gray was caught aerial at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Seren Smale, from Fi Morris; *Esmae MacGregor was caught by Eve Jones arriving inside the c circle from ’extra-cover’, from Fi Morris; *33ov drinks, on 114/8; *Clara Thaker was bowled by Fi Morris for a seventh-ball ‘duck’ *Flo Miller absent – injured and unable to bat; Essex women batting: Anneke Bosch 32(37); Sophie Munro 25*not out (48); Eva Gray 12(20); Liberty Heap 12(22); Jo Gardner 10(33); Lancs women bowling: Fi Morris 6/27(10); Kate Cross 2/24(6); Tara Norris 1/24(5);
Match result: Lancs women (women) 272/9 (from 50 overs@5.4 runs-per-over) beat Essex (women) 119/9 (@3.4 r-p-o target 273 from 35/50 ov.) by 153 runs with 90 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#c43d251c2-5e06-43de-826f-47d67a843862_m2b9b2c6e-1b2e-4574-b9ba-04d6a9c4dbd9
*Mid-term results with upcoming League one fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/05/17/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-one-women
