Match Centre

MIDDLESEX WOMEN V GLOUCESTERSHIRE | MATCH REPORT

Middlesex Women extended their unbeaten run in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a dominant 208-run victory over Gloucestershire at Radlett Cricket Club yesterday.

After an outstanding performance with the bat, spearheaded by centurions, Artemis Downer and Finty Trussler, we finished on 336/3 – our highest total of the season so far. With the ball, Middlesex were equally clinical. Gaya Gole led the charge, claiming figures of 5/27, as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 128 in 41.1 overs.

With four wins from four in the competition, Middlesex remain top of the table as the only unbeaten side, with second-place, Yorkshire, still four points behind. We’ll face them in our next Meto Bank One-Day Cup match in August, in what could a title-deciding clash.

Gloucestershire, meanwhile, have dropped to ninth in the standings, with three losses and only one win over last-place, Derbyshire.

After winning the toss and electing to bat yesterday, Issy Routledge and Artemis Downer opened for Middlesex. They ticked along steadily until Routledge was caught by Meg Austin off Katie Dolman’s delivery for 23, leaving Middlesex at 49/1 by the end of the first powerplay.

Trussler joined Downer in the middle – and so a tremendous partnership was born. After some composed batting, Downer reached her first half-century of the season, bringing up the total in 78 balls. Trussler soon followed suit, scoring her third 50 of the season off 69 deliveries.

From there, they showed no signs of letting up. The pair continued to bat with intent, as the scoreboard climbed, and Gloucestershire searched for answers. Trussler, in particular, was rapid, racing to her first century of the season in just 95 balls. Downer followed with a composed and equally impressive ton of her own seven overs later, as the pair took full control of the innings.

Trussler was eventually dismissed for a fantastic 137 off 118 deliveries, as she was caught by Liv Daniels off another Dolman delivery. With only 5.3 overs remaining, Saskia Horley came to the crease, and added 13 to the total before being bowled by Dolman. Riva Pindoria then joined Downer in the middle, and the pair navigated Middlesex to finish on 336/3 from the 50 overs, with Downer and Pindoria finishing on 108 and 25, respectively.

With a massive total to defend, Gaya Gole opened the bowling for Middlesex. She made an instant impact, claiming her first wicket of the day with the first ball, as Meg Austin went for a golden duck off Gole’s sharp caught and bowled dismissal.

At the end of the fourth over, it was Bex Tyson’s turn to strike, as she bowled Melissa Story for a duck, leaving Gloucestershire reeling at 11/2. Just five balls later, Gole picked up her second wicket, with her third and fourth coming soon after. Saskia Horley caught Georgina Cant for 3 to give Gole her fifth, as she finished with incredible figures of 5/27.

At 35/6 inside 13 overs, Gloucestershire needed a strong performance. Dolman and Emily Geach put together a solid partnership, putting a dent in the target before Geach was dismissed, caught and bowled by Anisha Dissanayake for 32. Another positive partnership between Dolman and Char Phillips followed, before Phillips was bowled by Sonali Patel for 22.

Issy Routledge took the final two wickets of Alice Bird and Bhoomika Bhat, leaving Dolman on 28 not out. Middlesex secured a 208-run victory as Gloucestershire finished on 128 after 41.1 overs.

It was a complete performance with bat and ball, reinforcing Middlesex’s position at the top of the Tier Two table with four wins from four. We now head into a break from 50-over cricket full of confidence, our next outing in the competition coming on 2 August, when we’ll travel to Headingley to face Yorkshire.

Our focus now shifts the Vitality Blast, which kicks off at Lord’s on 29 May with a double-header against Sussex Sharks.