Despite leading the league all season, Hampshire still needed to take close-to maximum points from their final match against Middlesex to make sure of securing a maiden Women’s County Championship; but they did it… and they did it in style – taking all 18 points, and consigning unlucky Middlesex to relegation in the process.

Batting first, Hampshire were wobbling slightly at 64-4, but a century partnership between Ella Chandler (56) and Fi Morris (45) took them to within touching-distance of the 200 they needed for maximum bonus points, and Charlotte Edwards (20) did the rest.

With Yorkshire having already dropped a bonus point batting against Notts, the question then was whether Hampshire could win the game and take 5 wickets in the process. But in the end only Beth Morgan (43) made a significant dent in the scorebook, as Middlesex were bowled out for 144 and Hampshire celebrated without even needing to look at Yorkshire’s result.

Not that Yorkshire really had a bad day – New Zealand’s Leigh Kasperek top-scored with 68 and took 3-19 as they beat Notts by 74 runs; but by taking 7 wickets and scoring 96 for 4 bonus points, Notts did just enough to stay ahead of Middlesex and avoid relegation.

With Somerset already relegated, there were in fact four teams who could theoretically have joined them along with Notts and Middlesex. Lancashire would have to have been very, very unlucky with other results to be relegated; but Warwickshire were in 7th place going into the final day, without a win, but with two ties.

The Bears needed a big win, and they got one, posting 205 v Lancashire, thanks to Sophie Devine (50) and captain Marie Kelly (64). They then bowled Lancs out for 121 to live to fight another season in Div 1 in 2019.

So in the end it was Middlesex who went down to Div 2. Did they deserve relegation? Probably not, but then nor did Notts or Warwickshire – as the teams stand right now, Div 1 is one side too small; but unfortunately that’s the way things are, and although it will be of little consolation to Middlesex, I’d bet my last penny that they will be straight back up again next season.

Finally, at the very foot of the table, Somerset achieved a final day consolation win versus Kent, bowling them out for 126 and chasing the runs thanks to (who else?) Sophie Luff, who hit 76*.

So that’s that for another year! Congratulations to Hampshire; and commiserations to Somerset and Middlesex.

Next on the agenda for the counties is the T20 Cup (without all the England players), and then of course the Super League – so stay tuned and we’ll keep you covered!

Even without their England players, Sussex proved too strong for Berkshire in a one-sided match at North Maidenhead, which confirmed Sussex’s promotion back to Div 1 of the Women’s County Championship.

With Sussex without Georgia Elwiss, Danni Wyatt and Sarah Taylor, Berkshire might have felt hopeful, even while missing their own England talisman, Heather Knight; but put into bat by Sussex, the Beavers were soon in desperate trouble.

Lissy Macleod was brilliantly caught by Abi Freeborn at second slip off Freya Davies with just 8 on the board, bringing Carla Rudd – suffering with a hand injury after a cycling accident in the week – to the crease. Rudd and Emily Cunningham took the score on to 20, before Cunningham skied a catch to Davies at mid on, precipitating a collapse which saw Rudd, Lauren Bell and Ashleigh Muttitt all sent back to the pavilion in quick succession, leaving Berkshire on the brink at 21-5.

A 54-run partnership between Annabel Flack (27) and Phoebe Graham (29) held back the Sussex tidal wave for a while; but both were dismissed by Chiara Green, who took 3-13, and no other Berkshire batsman made a single run – the Beavers finishing all out for a disappointing 94.

In the chase, Georgia Adams was dismissed early – LBW to Graham; but Chiara Green and youngster Ella McCaughan took Sussex past 50, before Green spooned Emma Walker to Lissy Macleod at mid on and McCaughan gave a regulation catch to Carla Rudd, fielding at cover due to her hand injury.

But the damage was already done and Abi Freeborn (27*) and Paige Scholfield (13*) steered Sussex home – Scholfield hitting the only 6 of the match to cow corner in the process.

The result confirmed Sussex as winners of Div 2, and they will be back where they belong, in Div 1 of the Women’s County Championship, next season.

Afterwards, Raf Nicholson spoke to a very happy Sussex skipper, Georgia Adams.

The Women’s County Championship reaches a finale this weekend, with lots still to play for in both the top 2 divisions.

Bonus points could be critical – here is a reminder of how they work:

Batting First

75 Runs = 1 Bonus Point; 100 = 2; 150 = 3; 200 = 4

Batting Second

1.5 Runs-Per-Over = 1 Bonus Point, 2 = 2; 3= 3; 4 = 4

Bowling

3 Wickets = 1 Bonus Point, 5 = 2; 7 = 3; 9 = 4

So… what do they need to do?

NB – IF YOU ARE A PLAYER, DO YOUR OWN MATHS – WE THINK THIS IS RIGHT, BUT DON’T DEPEND ON IT!!

Div 1

TABLE

Hampshire, Yorkshire or Kent could win the title. Somerset are already relegated, and one of Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Middlesex or Warwickshire will join them.

Hampshire v Middlesex – Win with 7 or 8 bonus points to be certain of being champions; or else drop no more than 1 bonus point compared with Yorkshire.

Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire – Make up 2 bonus points on Hampshire to be champions.

Kent v Somerset – Win big and hope Hampshire and Yorkshire both lose to be champions.

Lancashire v Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire & Middlesex v Hampshire – Win to make 100% sure they stay up. (There is a chance any of the three could be relegated if they lose badly and other results go against them.)

Warwickshire v Lancashire – Win big and hope other results go their way to avoid relegation.

Somerset v Kent – Already relegated.

Div 2

TABLE

Two of Sussex, Surrey and Wales will be promoted. Derbyshire and Northamptonshire are already relegated; but everyone except Sussex and Surrey could theoretically be relegated, with the 6th placed side going into a play-off vs one of the top Div 3 sides.

Sussex v Berkshire & Surrey v Essex – Win to guarantee promotion; or hope Wales don’t win big.

Wales v Devon – Win big, and hope one of Sussex or Surrey lose big.

Devon v Wales, Berkshire v Sussex & Essex v Surrey – Win and hope other results go their way to avoid the play-off.

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire & Northamptonshire v Derbyshire – Both already relegated.

* 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.