Middlesex women vs Worcestershire Rapids women – (match 45, league two) at Merchant Taylors’ School Ground, Sandy Lodge, Northwood on Saturday 30 August 2025 (10h30)
Middlesex women chalked up their ninth straight win on a ‘tricky surface’ from nine matches played. Destined to play Yorks at home (Radlett CC), in the up-coming semi-finals, Skippered by Saskia Horley – pictured – Middx women are the only unbeaten team at the competition’s group stage, closing eight points clear of their nearest rivals. Batting first, Rapids women ‘struggled’ on 46/3 after 13 overs. Opener Gwen Davies staged Rapids womens’ recovery, passing the 100-run marker by mid-way, but the visitors fell short of a defendable score. Best Middx women bowlers were Hannah Davis who took a 4-fer (4 wickets/conceding 42 runs), and Katie Wolfe who took a 3-fer (3/36.) Turning to the hosts reply Middx maintained at least five overs advantage onceArtemis Downer made top-score [44runs (from 59 balls).] Having docked 22 overs for inclement weather, Umpires declared Middx women the winners as their revised target score had already been met according to the DLS method. Weather: rain-affected match 18C.
Rapids women wearing light blue front, mid-hooped back uppers over lower black with light-blue helmets; *skipper Clare Boycott [Pippa Sproul keeping wicket for Middlesex]; *Wales international Gwenan ‘Gwen’ Davies (Warwickshire loan) *Ruby Davis (Somerset loan);*Clare Boycott was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Katie Wolfe; *Ruby Davis went plumb ‘leg-before,’ to Sarah Pearson; *After ten overs power-play: 38/2; *Bryony Gillgrass was bowled ‘middle-and-off’ by Hannah Davis; *Mistiming a ‘sweep,’ Poppy Davies went ‘leg-before’ to Hannah Davis; *After 25 overs 103/4; *Playing across-the-line, Gwen Davies went ‘leg-before’ to Sarah Pearson; *Olivia ‘Liv’’ Gough went aerial, caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Artemis Downer, from Katie Wolfe; *Caitlin Baker-Smith was bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Katie Wolfe; *Hannah Hardwick was stumped by Pippa Sproul, from Hannah Davis; *Mistiming a ‘sweep,’ Flora Bertwistle was bowled by Hannah Davis coming round-the-wicket; *Jess Beach was ‘run-out’ from ‘point’ by Artemis Downer’s throw to keeper Pippa Sproul receiving at the striker’s end; Rapids women batting: Gwen Davies69(93), Hannah Hardwick39(44), Olivia‘Liv’Gough18(55), Poppy Davies14(18); Middlesex women bowling: Hannah Davis 4/42, Katie Wolfe 3/26, Sarah Pearson 2/40;
Middlesex women wearing navy-blue with pink underarm splash and navy pads, *skipper Saskia Horley *[Olivia ‘Liv’ Gough keeping wicket for Rapids] *with Scotland internationals Saskia Horley & Pippa Sproul *with Ariana Dowse (Essex Loan) *Finty Trussler was bowled ‘middle-of-middle’ by Jess Beach, with her bails sent flying in opposite directions; *After ten overs power-play: 53/1 (vs 38/2); *Georgia Irving was caught aerial at ‘square’ Clare Boycott, from left-armed Flora Bertwistle coming around-the-wicket; *Top-scorer Artemis Downer was caught aerial at ‘extra cover’ by Jess Beach, from left-armed Flora Bertwistle coming around-the-wicket;*Mistiming a ‘drive,’ Pippa Sproul snicked-an-edge to keeper Olivia ‘Liv’ Gough, from Bryony Gillgrass; *Riva Pindoria spooned-a-thick-edge to keeper Liv Gough from Flora Bertwistle, coming around-the-wicket; After a rain hiatus, the winning target was revised to 163 from 42 overs when eight overs were docked following an hour’s rain (15h33 to 16h35.) Another 14 overs were docked following more inclement weather, setting a target of 106 from 28 overs. Having docked a total of 22 overs for inclement weather, there was no need for Middx women to continue batting as they had already passed their revised target score. Middlesex women batting: Artemis Downer44(59), Saskia Horley32*not out(31), Finty Trussler18(22); Gayatri ‘Gaia’ Gole18*not out(16); Rapids women bowling: Flora Bertwistle 3/41, Bryony Gillgrass 1/26, Jess Beach 1/31;
Match result: Middlesex women 145/5 (@5.1 runs-per-over from revised target 106 from 28/28 ov.) beat Rapids women 177 ‘All out’ (@3.6 runs-per-over from 48.4/50ov,) by 40 runs, Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m624fd36e-18f1-4663-ae21-407e4ebb2793
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225620 & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/middlesex-women-v-worcestershire-rapids-women/scorecard/e55c9d5a-3d81-51ad-8da3-0ea26bac5528
*Full match free-to-air, without commentary courtesy of Middlesex Cricket (nv play) via YouTube [06h57m35s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPsWL9pWoQk&t=16s
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/05/22/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-and-results-up-to-may-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/05/25/metro-bank-league-two-fixtures-and-results-up-to-may-2025/
