Foxes Women lose close encounter with Worcestershire Rapids Women in One Day Cup.

A five wicket haul for Ellie Phillips and a century on her return to the Foxes from Francesca Sweet weren't enough to get the Foxes over the line as Worcestershire Rapids win a close encounter in Worcester.

Worcestershire Rapids Women lost 3 early wickets, but Beech and Bishop recovered the innings, building a good platform to 198/3 with eleven overs tio go. Bishop fell soon after for 59 before Beech had to depart for a sensational 110. However, a flurry of wickets at the end of the innings saw the hosts stutter to 258-9 after their fifty overs.

In reply, Leicestershire lost both Teekasingh and Weston inside the first three overs. Sweet and Western began the recovery before the skipper was bowled for 46. The removal of both Watson and Chissell in consecutive deliveries in the thirty second over provided the hosts with an opportunity. Phillips and Sweet appeared to be putting pay to that idea but as both departed in the latter stages, the hosts came right back into the game. Gillgrass’ two wickets in the forty seventh over all but secured victory for the hosts who would take the win by 13 runs.

Winnings the toss and electing to bat first, Worcestershire Rapids lost Davies early - the skipper departed caught Teekasingh, bowled Phillips for 7 at the start of the second over.

The Foxes kept up the pressure as Phillips removed Gilligrass who picked out Whitfield on the boundary attempting a pull. Tweats struggled to score freely, making 8 in 34 balls before edging a Chissell delivery through to Western behind the stumps at the end of the thirteenth over.

Beech and Bishop came together and started to form a more prosperous partnership, taking the hosts to 101-3 by drinks. Shortly after the break, the former brought up her half century in 61 balls with a boundary.

Worcestershire’s batters continued to put the pressure on the visitors as Bishop moved past fifty by pummelling a six through the leg side. However, she was caught by Watson in the following over off the bowling of Weston, playing a similar shot for 59.

Beech then reached 100, bringing it up by dispatching a no ball through the legside for four – the hosts sitting pretty on 223-4 with eight and half overs remaining.

With only a few overs remaining, Beech was pushing on the runs which saw her hit a Thatcher delivery to Sweet on the boundary, falling for a fantastic 110. Two balls later, Khurana was bowled for 17 as the visitors clawed back a bit of control at the end of the innings.

Harris miscued a Phillips delivery to Sweet in the cover, departing for 1 before Churms fell to the same combination in the final over. Phillips bowled Beach for 1 with the final delivery of the innings – Worcestershire faltering slightly to 258-9.

Leicestershire also lost an early wicket – Teekasingh finding Beech off the bowling of Beach for 1. Beach picked up her second of the spell in her next over, bowling Weston for 6.

Skipper Western and the returning Sweet came together and steadied the Leicestershire response, putting on 53 before the end of the first powerplay, taking the Foxes’ total to 63-2.

Their partnership of 107 was broken just before drinks as Western was bowled by Brett for 46. A couple overs prior, Sweet had passed fifty in only 55 balls, putting the visitors in a good position, requiring 133 more to win from the second half of their innings.

Bishop changed the complexity of the by taking two wickets in consecutive balls in the thirty second over. She first had Watson caught in the deep in the leg side by Egerton for 18 before bowling Chissell with her next.

Sweet passed her century with a cut through point but was caught by Davies two balls later, giving Egerton her first of the innings – the Hampshire loanee departing for a brilliant 101.

A running mix up then saw Phillips run out for 35 by Gillgrass as Worcestershire assumed the driving seat.

Gillgrass picked up a wicket of her own by bowling Sheikh in the following over before removing Whitfield caught and bowled a few balls later. Bishop rounded out the game in the penultimate over by bowling Thatcher for 2 – Worcestershire claiming victory by 13 runs.