Hampshire held on to top spot in Div 1 of the T20 Cup, but Warwickshire and Lancashire are hot on their heels with one round of matches to go next weekend.

Hampshire’s weekend began against Surrey at Widness CC, where Bryony Smith’s 85 off 64 balls set up a total of 155-7. In reply, a 68-run partnership between Maia Bouchier (56) and Fi Morris (25) put Hampshire on course, but it came down to some late heroics from Emily Windsor (31*) and Ella Chandler (11*) to get Hampshire over the line with 3 balls to spare.

Hampshire then took on Lancashire, with a chance to really put themselves in the driving seat going into the final weekend, but a half-century from Eve Jones (62) helped Lancashire post 135-6. Maia Bouchier (44) hit her second score of the day to keep Hampshire close to the rate… but not quite close enough, with Lancashire ahead by 6 runs on DLS when rain put an early end to proceedings.

It was enough to move Lancashire into third, and it is worth remembering that a more equitable allocation of points for cancelled games would mean Lancashire would actually be top on NRR; but the system is what it is – just 1 point for “No Result”, compared with 4 for a win – and Lancashire now need Hampshire to slip up next weekend if they are to have a shot at the title.

Elsewhere in Div 1, Warwickshire fought back into contention with wins over Middlesex and Kent, thanks to a cracking weekend with the bat from Gwen Davies, who hit two unbeaten half-centuries – full reports here!

Meanwhile Sussex finally got some proper points on the board – Hollie Young taking 2-8 as they beat Notts by 42 runs; and Georgia Elwis hitting 80*, then taking 4-16 with the ball, for a 12-run win against Wales.

In Div 2, Durham held on to top spot, strolling to easy wins over Derbyshire and Essex; with Somerset 4 points adrift in second place, after wins against Devon and Scotland.

Danni Wyatt’s cricket career has been a game of two halves. Between her debut in 2010 and 2016, hers was a tale of potential unfulfilled – probably the most gifted natural athlete of her era in the game, she was never able to translate that into runs (or wickets) in the international arena. Then… somehow… England coach Mark Robinson finally found her “on” switch, as he had done with Tammy Beaumont before, and would go on to do with Amy Jones after; and at last the runs came, including that career-defining, 57-ball T20 century out in Australia in the 2017 Ashes.

But looked at another way, since that “surgence” (sic – there’s no “re”!) her career has been a game of two games.

The upward trend in her average has really only been in T20 cricket, and this summer against the West Indies has reflected that. In the ODI series, she made 8, 3 and 12 – just 23 runs – but back in a T20 shirt last night, she hit 81 off 55 balls, earning herself the Player of the Match award as England continued their long winning run.

It is true that she was lucky – she was dropped twice in the troublesome-teens – an absolute dolly at mid off that any park player would hope to pouch 9 times out of 10; and a tougher chance behind the stumps, but one which you’d expect an international wicket keeper to take. But there is a lot of luck in this game, and the best players learn to ride it as Wyatt did in that innings, leaving no room for doubt – she is one of the best T20 players in the world.

The dilemma for England now, almost regardless of what happens in the final T20 next week, is about Ashes selection.

If the Ashes began with the T20s, it would be obvious; but it doesn’t – it begins with the ODIs and then the Test; and on Wyatt’s ODI form, you’d probably have to pick Fran Wilson ahead of her for those one-dayers and more than likely for the Test too.

But can you really drop Wyatt after what she did last night?

It was always going to be a tough call for Mark Robinson… and with her innings at Northampton, Wyatt just made it tougher.

“It was a long time in the making,” says former England allrounder Laura MacLeod of her new role as Warwickshire’s Women’s Performance Manager.

“Back in January 2018, I was on a CPD [Continuous Professional Development] event for the ECB. The Warwickshire lads were in doing some fitness testing, and I happened to see Ashley Giles on the balcony and we started chatting. He said to me ‘Have you had a look at it?’ I said, ‘To be honest, no I haven’t!’”

“At the time I was thinking that I would want to go further in the recreational game and I didn’t really think about the performance side; but I looked at it again, and we had a further chat, and I decided that I’d go to interview.”

“So I had my interview, but Ashley and I agreed was that it would be best if I started in the winter, so it was 1st October 2018 when I started.”

Even though the new job currently means 5am starts to commute from Lancashire to Birmingham, MacLeod has no doubts she made the right move:

“It is the best decision I’ve made – to take that step across from the recreational game into the performance game – I’m thoroughly enjoying myself!”

The day-to-day role involves overseeing the 9 teams on Warwickshire’s performance program – from Under 11s right through to the county 1st XI, including doing some coaching for the age-group sides.

However this is likely to change substantially next year, with Warwickshire joining up with Worcestershire for The Hundred and the new “pro” regional setup:

“In effect the role that I currently do will not exist next year in the capacity that it is now – the role next year will only be the senior and the academy – they will obviously have some oversight of what goes on in the pathway but there will be no direct responsibility.”

But MacLeod is already thinking about how things will operate going forwards:

“We will be a new area for both the regional domestic structure and also the Hundred, and I want to make sure we hit the ground running.”

Being a “new” side, without an existing KSL franchise, is a particular challenge:

“Almost everyone else will be established and will have continuity and will have people in mind. We won’t have anything that is consistent but we might be able to attract a few people over to us.”

MacLeod sees the existing Warwickshire team as the foundation of the new squads.

“What we’ve been able to do in Warwickshire is attract the best players from the West Midlands so largely it will be those who are currently playing now, plus we will utilise the number of overseas that you can have, just to bring the quality up.”

In order to get the players ready for next year, MacLeod has been leveraging her contacts to get as many Warwickshire players as possible into the Super League this season:

“I’ve been doing a bit of almost ‘agent’ work with some of these girls to get them into the Kia Super League. So we’ve got 7 players now into the Super League and through my contacts and me speaking to the coaches, I can say ‘Have you thought about so-and-so?’ So that is really good – it will be great exposure for them…” She laughs… “So long as they come back!!”

The aspiration to put the Men’s and Women’s Hundreds on an equal footing is going to be an interesting challenge for those at the sharp end like MacLeod:

“I thought that when Kate Cross was asked the question recently she answered it really well – it is about looking back and asking ‘What improvements have we made from last year?’ And I’m already seeing improvements – there is a definite will and desire from [Warwickshire CEO] Neil Snowball and [Worcestershire CEO] Matt Rawnsley to endeavour to do whatever they can to ensure that the men and the women have equal access.”

And if not… they will have Laura MacLeod to answer to:

“I will be one of those people who will ensure that we get as much as we can and hopefully we will see some really good things next year.”

On a weekend when only 3 of 9 Div 1 fixtures were completed due to the weather, Hampshire moved into top spot with a 4 wicket win over Birmingham Bears at Aldershot – full report here.

Surrey went second with a big win over Sussex – Kirstie White hit 74 off 56 balls as Surrey posted 144-4 from 20 overs, before the stock story of Sussex’s season played out once again, as their batting collapsed to 87 all out – Surrey skipper Hannah Jones leading the bowling with 2-11.

With no rescheduling allowed in the T20 Cup, the lost matches are lost for ever with each team allocated just 1 point compared with 4 for a win, leaving Lancashire particularly aggrieved, having now had 3 of 4 games rained-off so far this season.

It was the same story in Div 2, with washouts up and down the country – including Scotland making the 8-hour road-trip to Essex, only to have to turn straight around again, with no prospect of play whatsoever due to an uncovered pitch.

With only the fixtures at Hartlepool surviving in Div 2, home side Durham took advantage to post victories over Cheshire and Somerset and leapfrog Scotland into first place.

Despite having their match against Notts washed-out by rain, Hampshire went clear at the top of Div 1 in the T20 Cup with a close-run victory over Birmingham Bears at Aldershot.

On a day when the weather held most of the cards, Hampshire and Notts could only sit in the pavilion watching the Men’s World Cup on TV, as the first match of the triple-header went first from 20 overs down to 12, before being cancelled completely as rain showers persisted through an early lunch and into the afternoon.

Notts v Birmingham, scheduled to start at 1:30pm, eventually got underway as an 8-overs-a-side thrash at 10 past 3.

Notts got off to a reasonable start, despite losing Sonia Odedra for a duck off the first legitimate delivery of the innings, with the Graves sisters, Teresa (24) and Yvonne (10), putting on 30 for the second wicket; but 4 wickets for 12 in 2 overs, including a hat-trick from leg-spinner Nish Patel, pegged Notts back to 61-8.

In reply however, the Bears didn’t quite get out of the blocks quickly enough, and despite Marie Kelly hitting 32 off 23 balls, they ended up 5 runs short.

With the sun finally making an appearance as afternoon turned to evening, a genuine Twenty20 match between Hampshire and Birmingham – joint leaders coming into the weekend – offered one or the other the chance to seize control of the title race.

In-form Marie Kelly opened the batting for the Bears, but lasted just one ball as Maia Bouchier appeared to spill the easiest of Caught & Bowled opportunities, but somehow managed to juggle it and take the catch on the third attempt.

Despite the early setback, the Bears made steady progress through the powerplay, including a sudden burst of acceleration in the 5th over as Gwenan Davies and Thea Brookes plundered 15 off Fi Morris’s first over. It was Morris who would go on to have the last word, however – coming back at the death to deliver a further 2.4 overs for just 6 runs, taking 3 wickets along the way, as Birmingham stuttered to a below-par 95 all out.

A 34-run partnership between Maia Bouchier (20) and Sam Betts (20) then appeared to have put Hampshire in the cruising seat to an easy win, before Jess Couser intervened to dismiss Betts and Bouchier in successive overs. Couser’s third over then added the scalps of Fi Morris and Emily Windsor, and for a moment the comeback looked on for Birmingham.

But Katie George (20*), despite taking a few risks along the way, managed to hold things together with the help of Ella Chandler (13) and Charlie Dean (9*), to see Hampshire home with 6 balls to spare, to go 4 points clear at the top of the T20 table.

Sussex left-armer Linsey Smith has been called up to England’s squad for the T20 series against the West Indies which begins at the County Ground in Northampton on Tuesday evening.

A T20 specialist for England, Smith has never played an ODI, but has won 8 T20 caps since making her debut at the World Twenty20 last year, with best figures of 3-18 against Sri Lanka.

However, there is no room for the other 3 recent debutantes – Sophia Dunkley, Kirstie Gordon or Freya Davies – although the squad has not been officially announced all 3, plus Lauren Winfield, have been released to play county cricket this weekend. The omission of Dunkley is a particular surprise, as there isn’t a lot resting on this series and “Count Dunkular” has been in startling form for Middlesex, scoring two hundreds this season in the 50-over County Championship.

The Kent duo – Laura Marsh and Fran Wilson – appear have been retained. (As obviously has Kent captain Tammy Beaumont.)

One remaining question mark is over Bryony Smith, who bowled very economically in the final ODI at Chelmsford – we will know whether or not she is in or out at about half past one this afternoon, when Surrey take to the field against Kent at Brighton!

Amy Jones – who was named Player of the Series for her innings of 91 in the 1st ODI and 80 tonight – has now won two consecutive ODI Player of the Series awards in England – the previous one coming at the end of last summer against New Zealand. With 5 half-centuries in her last 6 ODI innings, it is fair to say she is England’s most consistent player right now.

But it was not ever thus.

Having made 41 on debut in 2013, she suffered repeated failures and was eventually dropped in 2016 having not got close to that score again. When she was recalled to the ODI team in 2018 in India, in the absence of Sarah Taylor, she failed twice more, bagging ducks in the first two ODIs of that series.

She must have been in the last chance saloon when she walked out to bat in the 3rd ODI in Nagpur, but the runs finally came – 94 of them. England lost the match narrowly, but Jones was finally in business. Prior to that day, her ODI average was 18; since that day, it is currently running at 46.

What changed?

Not the talent – she was always an elegant player to watch; but she so often seemed to only be able to do it when no one was actually watching – at county or in warm-ups – put in the spotlight, she seemed blinded.

Her renaissance has become a familiar story under Mark Robinson – first Tammy Beaumont, then Danni Wyatt, now Amy Jones – all underachievers inherited from the previous regime, who have been turned into achievers under Robbo’s watchful eye.

But there is also something else too – it wasn’t until Jones was able to step out from the shadow of Sarah Taylor, and take her preferred role as a keeper-batsman, that things really started to come together. Prior to this series, Jones averaged just 38 with the gloves, but just 17 without.

So perhaps the most significant thing about Jones achievement in this series is that she has succeeded without also keeping wicket – battering the Windies, but also battering any remaining doubts that she truly belongs at this level as a batsman.

With the gloves off… the gloves finally came off!

England have made a few changes to their squad for the final ODI against the West Indies at Chelmsford on Thursday.

The biggest news is the call-up of Surrey’s batting allrounder Bryony Smith. Smith made her debut out in India in 2018, during the T20 Tri-Series versus India and Australia; and although she has not played internationally since, she was subsequently awarded an England contract. Smith, who also bowls a bit of handy off-spin, has been in great form at county – topping the Batting Rankings in Div 1 of the Women’s County Championship and taking 8 wickets.

Meanwhile Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver are both “rested”, whilst Alex Hartley is less ceremoniously “let go”.

The likelihood is that Smith will replace Brunt in the lineup, coming in late in the middle order; while Fran Wilson, who was already in the squad, will replace Sciver coming in at 5.

Full Squad

Heather Knight (Berkshire, captain)
Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
Kate Cross (Lancashire)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Jenny Gunn (Nottinghamshire)
Amy Jones (Warwickshire)
Laura Marsh (Kent)
Anya Shrubsole (Berkshire)
Bryony Smith (Surrey)
Sarah Taylor (Sussex, wicketkeeper)
Fran Wilson (Kent)
Lauren Winfield (Yorkshire)
Danni Wyatt (Sussex)

They might have finished the County Championship bottom of Division 1, but Warwickshire (AKA Birmingham Bears) have made a cracking start to the T20 season – going top with wins over Surrey and Wales at their home Edgbaston Foundation Ground – skipper Marie Kelly hitting 68* off 43 balls to overhaul 133 against Surrey; and Bethan Ellis taking 4-21 to bowl out Wales for 116 as they chased the Bears’ 133-9.

Hampshire also got a pair of wins on the board – Fi Morris top-scoring with 33 and then taking 3-9 to defeat Sussex; while Maia Bouchier also top-scored with 33 to win a rain-reduced 9-over slogathon versus defending champions Middlesex; Middlesex having earlier picked up a win against Sussex, thanks to a half-century from Cordelia Griffith.

Lancashire made a good start to the season – beating county champs Kent in a low-scoring encounter, with Eve Jones hitting 37, after Laura Jackson had ripped through Kent’s top order taking 3-9 opening the bowling; but Lancashire were then robbed twice of the chance to build on their win – first by the weather, which saw their game against Notts abandoned, and then by the points system which gives them only a single point for their troubles, despite it being 4 points for a win.

Meanwhile in Div 2, Scotland made the early running with wins over Derbyshire and Cheshire, as opening bat Sarah Bryce, back in tartan after spending the 50-over season with Notts, followed up a match-winning 47 against Derbyshire, with a 64-ball century to defeat Cheshire.