Foxes Women Return to One Day Cup Action in Dramatic Tie With Northants

Leicestershire Foxes Women made a promising start with the ball, restricting the Steelbacks Women to 33/1 in the opening powerplay. However, Kemp shone with 107, and contributions of 45 and 52 from Kirk and Clive respectively saw the hosts to 311/8 at the end of their 50 overs, helped by 40 late runs from Marriot.

In reply, Leicestershire Women made a solid start, but the dismissals of Brooker for 58 and Watson for 34 disrupted the Foxes' chase. Phillips hit 55 at just under a run a ball to take Leicestershire to only 15 short with one over remaining. Herathge hit two consecutive fours off the fourth and fifth balls of the over before the pair managed to run three off the final delivery to end the game in a tie.

Having been welcomed by a green-tinged track, Foxes Women captain Brooker elected to bowl first after winning the toss.

At the start of the fourth over, Hill was called through for a quick single, but despite a committed dive, she was run out by Chissell for 8, thanks in part to Western's fast glovework to remove the bails.

Kirk and Kemp steadied the innings, forming a partnership worth 84, which came to an end in the twenty-first over when the former edged a cut shot through to Western behind the stumps, falling to Herathge for 45.

In her following over, Herathge drew Ascott into an expansive drive, resulting in her being bowled for 2.

Kemp held the key for Northamptonshire, playing a fantastically controlled innings, making a century in 109 deliveries, whilst Clive played a great foil as she passed fifty in 55 balls.

In the forty-second over, Clive was bowled by Ellie Phillips, attempting a ramp for 52 – the Steelbacks 235/4 with eight overs remaining. Kemp was then stumped for 107 an over later, advancing down the track against Thatcher.

Sims attempted a similar shot to the one Clive played, and the outcome remained the same, with Ellie Phillips bowling her for 9. Thanawala returned to the attack in the forty-fifth over and bowled Reid with the first ball of the over for 6.

Chissell bowled Ella Phillips for 11 at the start of the forty-ninth over, as she missed a pull shot.

Marriot powered 40 in 18 deliveries at the end of the innings to take Northamptonshire to 311/8 in their 50 overs.

In reply, the Foxes made a fast start, but Thanawala clipped Robinson to Ascott at square leg, departing for 18 at the end of the fourth over.

In the eleventh over, Kemp was back in the action, dismissing Western for 11 in her first over as she edged a drive through to Hill behind the stumps.

At the end of the twentieth over, Sims broke the dangerous partnership between Brooker and Davies, worth 47, dismissing the latter LBW for 20. In the next over, Brooker attempted to sweep a Patel yorker, but she missed the ball and was dismissed LBW for a well-made 58.

A few overs after drinks, the hosts continued on their path to victory, Marriot bowling Grayson, who seemed to misjudge the bounce, for 23.

Marriot took the pivotal wicket of Watson, whose feet remained rooted to the ground, bowling her for 34. Three overs later, Chissell top-edged a drive straight up to Kirk at mid-on, falling to Patel for 22 – the Foxes struggling at 207/7.

Phillips and Singh put on 54 together to give Leicestershire a chance, requiring 51 runs to win with five overs remaining. However, Marriot produced a stunning direct hit to dismiss the latter.

Phillips moved to fifty on her fifty-second ball, but she glanced a ramp onto her own stumps, departing to Marriot for 55, with Northants taking a big step towards victory.

Going into the final over, Leicestershire needed 15 runs for victory and, after three singles off the first three deliveries, Herathge hit two boundaries to leave four runs required off the last ball. Herathge scythed the final ball over the infield on the off side but, without reaching the boundary, the pair scampered a three, ending the match in a tie.