*Somerset women vs Essex women – (match 12) – at Taunton (Taunton Vale Sports Club Ground) on Thursday 1 May 2025 (10h30)
Heather Knight and Charlie Dean (pictured on right) led Somerset to victory as each batter scored five short of ‘fifty.’ Ex-England skipper Heather Knight was lauded for an ‘all-round performance, firstly taking two reflexive catches: one tumbling catch in the ’slips’ and a second catch at ‘silly mid-on.’When bowling her ‘off breaks’ Heather Knight took a 3-fer (by taking three wickets conceding 7 runs.) Thirdly Knight also nudged Somerset into a winning position with ‘forty-five crucial runs.’ Scores drew level once Charlie Dean equalled Knight’s score with an unbeaten 45*not out runs (from 49 balls); leaving Alex Griffiths hit the winning ’single’ with a comfortable margin of twelve overs to spare. Separately, Essex keeper Amara Carr made one of her best ‘A-list’ scores with ‘fifty’ for the visitors. Commentators were Claire B Jenkins (Somerset Cricket) with Ed ‘cricket’ Seabourne (Sports Journalist); Ground was ‘beautifully bathed in sunshine’ with ’slowing outfield.’ Weather was warm and sunny 20C
Essex women wearing mauve splash over dark blue; Skipper Grace Scrivens (‘England ‘A’); [Katherine ‘Katie’ Jones keeping wicket for Somerset]; Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Jo Gardner was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Charlie Dean for a third-ball ‘duck’ from Laura Jackson; *Cordelia Griffith was caught by Heather Knight tumbling from ‘slip’, for a sixth-ball ‘duck’ from Ellie Anderson; *Left-handed Jodi Grewcock was bowled with ‘cartwheeled-off-stump,’ for a ‘golden duck’ from by Ellie Anderson coming round-the-wicket; *By 10 overs ‘power-play’ 46/3; *Grace Scrivens was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Amanda-Jade Wellington from Charlie Dean;*Flo Miller went aerial, a caught ‘in-the-deep’ by Alex Griffiths, from Laura Jackson; *By mid-way 91/5; *Receiving a full-flighted ball, Sophia Smale ‘hit wicket,’ from Amanda-Jade Wellington;*Eva Gray was caught at ‘silly mid-on’ by Heather Knight from Alex Griffiths; *Esmae MacGregor went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Heather Knight’s off-break; *Kate Coppack went for a carbon-copy dismissal: plumb ‘leg-before’ to Heather Knight; *Top scorer missing a ’sweep,’ Amara Carr was bowled through-the-gate by Heather Knight; Essex women batting: Amara Carr67(92), Grace Scrivens27(32), Flo Miller19(36), Eva Gray 17(20), Esmae MacGregor14(22), Sophia Smale10(33); Somerset women bowling: Heather Knight 3/7, Laura Jackson 2/12, Ellie Anderson 2/44, Alex Griffiths 1/17, Charlie Dean 1/34, Amanda-Jade Wellington 1/35;
Somerset women wearing black with white logos and plum helmets *skipper Sophie Luff [Amara Carr keeping wicket for Essex]; *international player Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia); *Emma Corney was caught at ‘slip’ by Sophia Smale, from Eva Gray ; *By 10 overs ‘power-play’ 52/1 (vs 46/3); *Sophie Luff ‘feather-edged’ to keeper – caught by Amara Carr, from Abtaha Maqsood ;*Heather Knight was caught by keeper Amara Carr, from Abtaha Maqsood; *Fran Wilson lost her off-stump bail when bowled by Jodi Grewcock; *By mid-way 123/4 (vs 91/5); *Katherine ‘Katie’ Jones was ‘run out’ calling for a run from the striker’s end with Charlie Dean unmoved, by Jodi Grewcock’s throw to keeper, from Eva Gray; *Charlie Dean was unbeaten, as mentioned above; Somerset women batting: Charlie Dean 45*not out(49) Heather Knight 45(41) Sophie Luff 24(34) Fran Wilson23(30) Katy Jones 16(25) Emma Corney 10(20); Essex women bowling: Abtaha Maqsood 2/56, Jodi Grewcock 1/20, Eva Gray 1/30;
*Match result: Somerset women 185/5 (@5.1 runs-per-over from 35.5/50overs, target 185 from 50 overs) beat Essex women 184/10 (@4.3 r-p-o from 42.5/50 overs) by five wickets
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m7933459f-9fe5-4182-84fe-99ee2581a7b9 & BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225526 SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/somerset-women-v-essex-women/scorecard/e1c94863-ad2b-5501-bebb-382f95d54bbd ;
*Start of match until Essex 88/5 courtesy of Somerset Cricket (nv play) via YouTube <01h38m44s> @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofn1hB4M1fM; with edited highlights ‘Knight and Dean lead Somerset to victory!’ also courtesy of Somerset Cricket via YouTube <10m07>@url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZHIIh9nSIE
*Secret Life of Wello’ on YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuaWBTcPnBJ52IJAzdsnBUA
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/04/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-for-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/05/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-2025/
Footnote: match 12 was rescheduled one day later than the date first advertised
