* Min/ Max = Minimum/ Maximum Possible Points

In Div 2 of the Women’s County Championship, Sussex and Surrey remain on-course for the two promotion spots, after both had unbeaten weekends.

Surrey hit relegated Derbyshire for a record 404-2 off 50 overs on Sunday, with Nat Sciver making 180 off 98 balls and Kirstie White a by-comparison sedate 80 off 111 balls. They then bowled Derbyshire out for just 50, to claim maximum bonus points – something they failed to quite do on Monday against also-relegated Northants – winning easily thanks to a Bryony Smith 50, but failing to take enough wickets for full bonus points.

Sussex also had a good weekend, beating Devon with maximum bonus points (Georgia Elwiss 4-22 and 39*) after their match against Wales was washed-out; but after stilettoing Northants Berkshire blew their promotion hopes by collapsing to 63 all out against Derbyshire.

This leaves Wales, who thrashed Essex, as the only other team who could possibly be promoted if Sussex (v Berkshire) or Surrey (v Essex) lose badly and they win well against Devon.

(But Wales could actually theoretically end up relegated as well – if they lose badly and other results go against them, they could finish 6th, which means they end up in the Div 3 play-offs!)

* Min/ Max = Minimum/ Maximum Possible Points

Hampshire stay top of the Women’s County Championship going into the final round of matches next weekend, despite losing to Yorkshire on Sunday. Yorkshire reduced Hampshire to 50-7, before Charlotte Edwards (45) and Fi Morris (31) helped them recover to 131 all out, and crucially two batting bonus points.  Yorkshire then found the tables almost turned, at 35-4, before Katherine Brunt (53*) and Hannah Buck (40) brought them home, but for the loss of 6 wickets, which meant another two vital bowling bonus points for Hampshire.

Hampshire then recovered on the Monday to beat reigning champions Lancashire with maximum points, successfully chasing 199 thanks to 103* from Suzie Bates.

With Kent beating Notts on Sunday (Laura Marsh taking 4-32, and then hitting 51*) and then Warwickshire in a reduced match on Monday (Tammy Beaumont 98) they also remain in the mix for the title; but they will need to beat already-relegated Somerset and hope Hampshire and Yorkshire both lose.

Hampshire play Middlesex in their final match at Andover – if they win with either 7 or 8 bonus points, they are champions regardless; but if they drop more than 1 bonus point, Yorkshire could overhaul them by beating Notts at Harrogate, bearing in mind that Yorkshire only need to equal Hampshire’s points average, because they won the match between them.

At the bottom Warwickshire can still survive, but only if they win big against Lancashire and one of the teams above them loses very badly. (If Warwickshire really smash Lancs, then they could even consign the reigning champions to relegation in their stead, if other results go against Lancashire too.)

Heather Knight hit a rapid, run-a-ball 64 as Berkshire beat Northants by 9 wickets at Irthlingborough to stay in the fight for promotion from Div 2.

With play washed-out at Edgbaston, your correspondents raced across the Midlands from west to east, arriving at Irthlingborough near Northampton just in time to see the last 2 wickets fall as Berkshire bowled Northants out for 91, with 2 wickets apiece for Lauren Bell, Heather Knight and Lissy Macleod – Northants keeper-batsman Erica Turner left high and dry on 25*, with extras the next highest scorer.

With bonus points potentially critical, Berkshire needed to get the runs within 23 overs to take all 18 points. Northants opening bowler Farida Bibi beat the edge of Knight’s bat in the first over, but it was the only chance the England captain offered, as she cut and drove Berkshire to victory, hitting 8 4s in her 64 as she took the Beavers home with lengths to spare.

Afterwards, Berkshire coach Aftab Habib told CRICKETher:

“We had two good wins at the start of the season, then we had a bit of a wash-out losing to Surrey, but we were very clinical today – it was really pleasing the way we played and hopefully we can do the same tomorrow against Derbyshire as well.”

With previously unbeaten Essex losing to Devon, Div 2 remains absolutely wide-open still, with everyone having lost at least once; but Berkshire do need a win against Derbyshire tomorrow, and they’ll have to do it without Heather Knight, who is rested, to set up a big finale against Sussex in the final round next weekend.

With the World T20 Qualifiers being played in the Netherlands in early July, the ECB has taken the opportunity to invite a selected group of players to complete in a series of warm-up matches against Kia Super League sides later that month.

The invited players include Gaby Lewis and Lucy O’Reilly from Ireland, and Scotland’s Sarah Bryce, as well as players from Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and the UAE.

Clare Connor said:

“Since the launch of our competition in 2016, we have been considering how we might use it as a platform to provide other playing opportunities for players around the world. We’re hopeful that a Global Development Team can offer those players representing the Associate Members those opportunities.”

The 5 matches take place on 17th, 19th and 20th of July against Surrey Stars, Loughborough Lightning and Western Storm.

• July 17th v Surrey Stars @ New Malden (10:30 + 15:00)
• July 19th v Loughborough Lightning @ Loughborough (10:30 + 14:30)
• July 20th v Western Storm @ Bath (14:30)

The problem with having lots of England players is that when they are away on international duty you are suddenly a very different team, as Sussex discovered against Essex this weekend in Div 2 of the Women’s County Championship. Without Sarah Taylor, Georgia Elwiss or Danni Wyatt, Sussex were bowled out for 114 after Essex had posted 159-9.

Lauren Bell (36) dug Berkshire out of a horrible hole (again!) against Surrey – from 56-5 they recovered to post 149-9; but Surrey cruised to victory thanks to half-centuries from Kirstie White (58) and Aylish Cranstone (52).

For Wales, Rachel Priest smacked fifteen 4s and one 6, for 88 off 82 balls, as they put Derbyshire to the sword at Panteg CC.

Finally, down in Exeter, Devon had a bit of a scare after being bowled out for 129 against Northants; but were rescued by Felicity Leydon-Davis, who took 5-8 in just 4 overs as Northants were bowled out for 88.

Sussex’s defeat has blown the promotion race wide open. Essex play Derbyshire and Wales next weekend, and two wins would put them in a very strong position, with everyone else having already lost at least one game; whilst Berkshire will be looking try to post maximum bonus points against the bottom two sides, as they look to get things back on track before hosting Sussex in their final match the week after, which could end up in effect being a play-off.

Hampshire consolidated their position at the top of the Women’s County Championship – beating Kent by 3 wickets, with just 4 balls to spare, thanks to a hard-run half-century from opener Charlie Dean (70) and a critical late cameo from Charlotte Edwards (25*).

Yorkshire move up to 2nd, after beating Lancashire in the Battle of the Roses at Bamford Fieldhouse in Rochdale. Jess Watson and New Zealand’s Leigh Kasperek both made half centuries as Yorkshire posted 226-7. In reply, Emma Lamb hit 78 off 72 balls for Lancs, but no one else could quite keep up the pace, and Lancashire ultimately found themselves 12 runs short at the close.

Warwickshire were involved in a rare tie for the second(!) time this season, this time against Notts. Kirstie Gordon took a senior-level career-best 5-18 to bowl Warwickshire out for 160, but despite a solid-enough start (61 for the 1st wicket) Notts never got out of 2nd gear, batting through the 50 overs to finish on 160-7.

At the foot of the table, Somerset’s winless season continued against Middlesex. Maia Bouchier, coming in at 6, hit 76 off 82 balls to take Middlesex to maximum batting-points with 212; before spinner Emma Albery took 4-19 to bowl out Somerset for 149.

Next weekend’s Bank Holiday double-header could see the Championship pretty-much decided, with Hampshire visiting 2nd-placed Yorkshire on the Sunday and reigning champions Lancashire on the Monday. Meanwhile Warwickshire, who desperately need a win to lift them out of the relegation zone, host Kent and Middlesex at Edgbaston.

Seventeen-year-old Charlie Dean produced a masterclass of patience and composure, batting through 49 overs for 73 runs – all but 4 of them “run” – as Hampshire beat Kent at Andover.

With Hampshire chasing 148, Dean opened the batting and soon found herself speed-dating partners out in the middle, as Grace Gibbs removed Ariana Dowse and Ella Chandler cheaply, albeit the latter to an LBW decision that looked about as plumb as an orange.

Emily Windsor (15) kept Dean company for a while, and was the only other top-order batsman to make it to double figures as Hampshire wobbled to 92-6.

It is in situations like this when you might find yourself wishing that your No. 8 was one of the greatest batsmen ever to have played the game… so it was particularly fortunate for Hampshire that their No. 8 was one of the greatest batsmen ever to have played the game!

Charlotte Edwards’ knees might be suffering through every run, but she still knows how to hit a cricket ball, and she and Dean slowly edged their way towards the target, before Dean got a bit too excited on the final ball of the penultimate over, driving Alice Davidson-Richards to Grace Gibbs at cover, with just 4 more required.

The batsmen having crossed, this left Danielle Ransley facing the first ball of the final over – she prodded it straight to mid off, but ran anyway. A direct hit would have run her out, but the throw missed and Edwards swept the next delivery to the boundary to bring up Hampshire’s 4th straight win of 2018.

Earlier, Kent had got off to a good start, with Phoebe Franklin and Chelsey Rowson putting on fifty for the first wicket, with a helping hand from the extras column as a few leg side deliveries from the Hampshire quicks disappeared down the hill to the boundary.

But Kent never quite capitalised on the start they had made and were ultimately bowled out in the 48th over for 148, with Providence Cowdrill taking 3-13 for Hampshire; and Katie George also getting 2-in-2 in her second spell.

The result keeps Hampshire top of Div 1, but the real test comes next weekend when they visit Lancashire and Yorkshire, where the title may well be decided.

At the top of Div 2, Sussex kept up their perfect record, taking maximum bonus points as they thrashed Surrey at Reeds.

With Berskhire v Essex cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch at Billericay, Berskhire go 2nd and Essex 3rd, thanks to the average points system which means cancelled matches don’t count! In theory this game can be rescheduled; but in practice the risk of dropping points which are now effectively “in the bag” means it probably won’t be!

Devon and Wales both picked up their first wins of the season. Felicity Leydon-Davis made 91* and also took 2-9 as Devon beat Derbyshire by 82 runs; whilst for Wales, Gabby Basketter top scored with 45 and picked up a couple of wickets as they scored a 53-run win over Northants.

It looks increasingly clear that the big battle in Div 2 will be the fight for the second promotion spot behind Sussex, which could be effectively decided next weekend when Berkshire play Surrey at North Maidenhead, whilst Sussex host Essex in Brighton.

In the Women’s County Championship, Hampshire stay top of Div 1 after an incredible match against Somerset, which saw Somerset bowled out for 64, with Katie George and Fi Morris taking 4 wickets apiece, only for Somerset… or more accurately Anya Shrubsole… to roar back. Shrubsole tore through the Hampshire top order, taking 5-15 to leave them reeling at 17-5, before Suzie Bates and Charlotte Edwards came to the crease and proceeded to calmly knock off the remaining runs for Hampshire’s 3rd straight win of the season.

Hampshire are now the only unbeaten team in the top flight, after Kent went down to Middlesex at Mill Hill. Tash Miles top scored with 48, and Maia Bouchier made a valuable run-a-ball 38 at the end, as Middlesex posted 203-5 off their 50 overs. In reply, Kent, who were without Tammy Beaumont, were bowled out for 155, with Sophia Dunkley taking 4-23.

Yorkshire picked up their second win of the season versus Warwickshire – Lauren Winfield making 69 and Hollie Armitage 44 as they posted 198, with Georgia Davis taking a 4-fer for the Bears. Warwickshire chased hard, led by Amy Jones’ 68 off 58 balls, but were bowled out 13 short in the 49th over – Leigh Kasperek and Katherine Brunt taking 3 wickets each.

Lancashire also got a second notch in the bedpost of their season, as they beat Notts by 5 wickets at Welbeck CC. Georgie Boyce top-scored for Notts with 50 as they posted 152-8. In reply, Emma Lamb and Eve Jones put on 100 for the first wicket, and although Lancashire then wobbled and lost 5 quick wickets, they still managed to get over the line with overs aplenty to spare.

Next weekend sees things really hot up, as Hampshire take on Kent at Andover, whilst Lancashire and Yorkshire do battle in Rochdale. Another win for Hampshire would put them in a very strong position, though they still have to play both Lancashire and Yorkshire so it won’t be plain sailing even if they do beat Kent!

Meanwhile at the other end of the table, Middlesex take on Somerset and Warwickshire look to rebuild their season against Notts in Nottingham.

The opening weekend in Div 2 saw Sussex steamroller first Derbyshire and then Northamptonshire as they look to bounce back to Div 1. A century from Georgia Adams and a half-century from Sarah Talor saw them notch-up 316 versus Derbyshire, before Freya Davies (6-10) bowled them out for just 65; whilst Taylor was again in the runs with 88, as Sussex posted 285 against Northants before bowling them out for 76.

For Surrey, Kirstie White led the way, with 41 and 94, as they beat Devon and then Wales; whilst for Berkshire, a Heather Knight hundred got them off to a winning start on Sunday versus Wales, but it was a much closer-run thing against Devon the following day – the Beavers making it 2-from-2 in a low-scoring game thanks to an all-round performance from 17-year-old Lauren Bell.

Essex also made a double-winning start to their campaign, though they were arguably slightly fortunate with the fixture list to be facing the weakest sides in the division first-up – Derbyshire and Northants – beating Derbyshire by 4 runs and Northants by 60.

Surrey v Sussex next weekend at Reeds School may well decide where the “title” goes, though neither will really care if they both get promoted, which is obviously the real end-goal here.