Warwickshire Bears (women) vs Surrey (women) (match 30, league one – ‘double-header’ fixture) at Birmingham, Edgbaston Stadium on 26 June 2026
Bears women beat the defending inaugural Vitality Blast league champions. Batting first, Bears openers Davina Perrin 50(39) and Abbey Freeborn 51(33) posted a record ‘power-play score: 65/0 and both batters scored ‘fifty’ during their 88-run partnership. Commentators added that with key players absent, four ‘critical’ catches were dropped by Surrey women when fielding. Turning to Surrey women’s run-chase, three ‘critical’ wickets fell in four overs – between their power-play and mid-way. ‘Tight’ bowling by the hosts left the visitors twenty runs behind in each half – both before and after mid-way. blistering record heat was ‘fortunate’ for the hosts, who defended their record highest run-chase score. Commentators for Bears TV Livestream were Aatif Nawaz (host) with Melinda Farrell (The Blaze TV & SKY TV); Adam Bridge (co-host) and ‘media award-winner’ Aaron Viles (Cricketfanaticsmag.com.) Weather: ‘record hottest day in June, 35C.’
Bears women wearing ’sky’ blue diamond cheque with yellow trim over navy blue; with yellow helmets and navy caps; *skipper Georgia Davis *[Jemima Spence keeping wicket for Surrey] *with international player Georgia Redmayne (Australia WBBL); *without Em Arlott & Issy Wong (England IT20 World-Cup call-up); *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 65/0 (drinks); *Ramping ‘leg-side,’ Abbey Freeborn (who scored ‘fifty’) was caught at ‘fine’ by Dani Gregory from seamer Anna Buckle; *Scoring ‘fifty,’ Davina Perrin was caught at shoulder-height by keeper Jemima Spence, from Anna Buckle; *87/0 by ‘mid-way (after 10 overs); *Shuffling too far forward, Katie George was stumped by keeper Jemima Spence from Dani Gregory; *Amu Surenkumar was ‘run-out’ from ‘backward-point’ by Aylish Cranstone’s throw to keeper Jemima Spence receiving at the striker’s-end; *Georgia Redmayne was ‘run-out’ by Alice Davidson-Richards ‘direct-hit’ to the non-striker’s-end, from Kalea Moore; Bears women batting: Abbey Freeborn 51(33); Davina Perrin 50(39); Georgia Redmayne 28(21); Mary Taylor 23*not out(13); Surrey women bowling: Anna Buckle 2/35(4); Dani Gregory 1/26(4);
Surrey women wearing light blue with dark blue sleeves over dark blue, with dark blue pads; *skipper Bryony Smith; *[Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Bears] *with international player Laura Harris (Australia WBBL); *debutante Anna Buckle; *without Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Sophia Dunkley or Danni Wyatt-Hodge (England IT20 World-Cup call-up); *also without Priyanaz Chatterji (Scotland IT20 World-Cup call-up); *Ahead after 6 overs ‘power-play’ 48/0(vs65/0); *Mis-timing a ‘slog-sweep,’ Bryony Smith was bowled ‘top-of-middle,’ by Hannah Baker; *Next over, Jemima Spence top-edged, caught at ‘backward point’ by Abbey Freeborn, from Millie Taylor’s spin; *Shuffling too far forward, Paige Scholfield was stumped by Nat Wraith, from Georgia Davis; *67/3 (vs87/0) by ‘mid-way (after 10 overs); *Ramping a scoop leg-side, Phoebe Franklin was caught at ‘short-fine’ by diving Abbey Freeborn, from Mary Taylor’s seam; *Next ball, Laura Harris was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Katie George, from Mary Taylor for a ‘golden-duck’; *Mis-timing to ‘square,’ Alice Monaghan went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Hannah Baker; *Playing across-the-line, Aylish Cranstone was bowled ‘through-the-gate, by Georgia Davis; *Three balls later, Kalea Moore was stumped ‘on-the-turn’ by Nat Wraith, also from Georgia Davis; *Ramping a scoop leg-side, Alice Davidson-Richards (carbon-copy dismissal to Phoebe Franklin:) was caught at ‘short-fine’ by Abbey Freeborn, from Amu Surenkumar; *Last ball: mis-timing a ‘drive,’ Anna Buckle was stumped by keeper Nat Wraith, from Mary Taylor; Surrey women batting: Alice Davidson-Richards 39(36); Bryony Smith 30(23); Phoebe Franklin 17(17); Alice Monaghan 12(8); Dani Gregory 11*not out(9); Bears women bowling: Mary Taylor 3/24(4); Georgia Davis 3/35(4); Hannah Baker 2/35(4); Amu Surenkumar 1/18(4); Millie Taylor 1/19(4);
*Match result: Warwickshire Bears (women) 172/5 (@8.6 r-p-o from 20ov.) beat Surrey (women) 130 All out (@6.5 r-p-o from 20ov.) by 42 runs
*Video scorecard, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#me5e80000-9b94-4272-217e-08de2c26e22a
*Upcoming League one ‘Vitality Blast’ (20ov.) fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/12/17/vitality-blast-league-one-fixtures-for-2026-3-of-4/
*Upcoming League one ‘MetroBank’ (50ov.) fixtures with mid-term results @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#me5e80000-9b94-4272-bf7b-08de2c26e211
