Middlesex Women defeated Yorkshire by seven runs in a thrilling encounter at Headingley yesterday, completing a phenomenal comeback to make it five wins from five in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
After finding themselves 38/5 inside ten overs, Middlesex recovered to post 192/9 thanks to a composed, match-defining knock from Pippa Sproul, who finished unbeaten on 98 – her highest-ever List A score. With the ball, Middlesex remained disciplined throughout, with Issy Routledge taking the final wicket to bowl Yorkshire out for 185 and seal a hard-earned victory in a fiercely contested game.
Fresh off lifting the Women’s Vitality Blast League Two trophy last week, Middlesex arrived at the historic Headingley ground for a top-of-the-table clash against Blast runners-up, Yorkshire. Much like on Finals Day, Yorkshire won the toss, and this time elected to bowl first, encouraged by overcast conditions.
Issy Routledge and Finty Trussler opened the batting once again, coming off two unbeaten chases on Finals Day. This time, however, the challenge proved tougher, with Trussler the only member of the top four to reach double figures before she was caught behind by Maddie Ward off the bowling of Jess Woolston for 16.
By the end of the sixth over, Middlesex were three down for just 26 runs, as Pippa Sproul arrived at the crease. Four overs later, two further wickets had fallen for the addition of just 12 runs. As Gaya Gole joined Sproul, however, Middlesex were provided with some much-needed stability before Gole was bowled by Claudie Cooper for 20, leaving Middlesex at 72/6 after 16 overs.
Alongside Hannah Davis then, Sproul continued to rebuild patiently. Davis added 11 before falling just before the halfway point, with Middlesex at 95/7. Katie Wolfe then took on the supporting role, allowing Sproul to work steadily through to her first half-century of the season, which came off 78 balls.
Wolfe was eventually bowled by Woolston for 14, who completed an excellent spell with figures of 5/45.
The most vital stand came between Sproul and Sarah Pearson, who entered at number ten with 14 overs remaining. The pair added 53 invaluable runs, with Pearson contributing just 11 but doing exactly what was required, by staying in, rotating the strike and allowing Sproul to guide the innings.
Pearson was eventually run out in the 49th over, with Rachana Cambampaty joining Sproul for the closing moments. Sproul finished the innings, scoring two off the final ball to end unbeaten on 98, in a remarkable effort that transformed the innings.
Yorkshire’s reply began steadily. With the required rate under four an over, they were under little pressure early on, and Middlesex’s new-ball pairing of Wolfe and Pearson kept things tight. After nine overs, Yorkshire were 38 without loss.
The breakthrough came in the tenth over with a moment of brilliance from Gaya Gole, whose physics-defying direct hit ran out Amelia Oliver for 18. Just one over later, Davis removed the other opener, Erin Thomas, for 22, with a sharp caught-and-bowled dismissal.
Davis continued to challenge Yorkshire, claiming two more wickets in the 18th over. Maddie Ward was caught behind by Pippa Sproul for 21, before Ami Campbell was caught by Natasha Miles for a duck.
Saskia Horley then delivered a tight maiden over to keep the pressure on, and by the 23rd over, Yorkshire were 84/4. Davis struck again in the next, bowling Rebecca Duckworth for 10, as she went on to finish with figures of 4/40.
Tight overs from Horley, Pearson, and Routledge followed as Yorkshire found scoring increasingly difficult. Routledge eventually found reward for her consistency, trapping Olivia Thomas lbw for 9. Cambampaty then removed Ines Blackwell, who was stumped by Sproul for 30, breaking a partnership that had begun to tilt the game back toward the hosts.
At 156/7, Yorkshire still looked well-placed, needing 37 from 60 balls with three wickets in hand. But Middlesex never relented. Pearson, bowling her final over, conceded two runs to complete a superb spell of 10 overs for just 19 runs.
Then, in the 45th over, Routledge swung the momentum. She struck twice in three balls, with Ria Fackrell caught by substitute Anisha Dissanayake, and Claudie Cooper caught by Horley, leaving Yorkshire nine down and still 21 runs adrift.
The tension built as Woolston and Amelia Love chipped away at the total, but the Middlesex bowlers held firm.
Finally, Routledge sealed the win in the 47th over, bowling Woolston for 22 to complete her own four-wicket haul, finishing with 4/36, and secure a second victory over Yorkshire in as many weeks.
After a contest that demanded resilience, discipline, and belief, Middlesex remained the only unbeaten side in the competition, with five wins from five, strengthening our position at the top of the table.
Next up, we’re back home at Merchant Taylors’ School next week to face Derbyshire, with momentum firmly on our side.
Yorkshire Women
Middlesex Women
