Report: Hampshire Women vs Bears Women, Metro Bank One Day Cup

Abbey Freeborn hits 94* in vain as Bears lose their Metro Bank One Day Cup match to Hampshire at Arundel.

The Bears had originally slipped to from 93 for six but rebuilt well to set Hampshire 244 thanks largely to a 97 run partnership with Charis Pavely.

Overseas, Charli Knott followed up scores of 58 against Durham and 64 versus Somerset to crash a classy 82, with Georgia Adams picking up 68 to keep Hampshire top of the table heading into the Vitality Blast break.

Warwickshire chose to bat first, less than 24 hours after nine players had featured in the Vitality T20 County Cup victory in Devon.

A slow pitch proved difficult for the Bears’ top order as they slumped to 38 for four inside the first 10 overs, which continued to 93 for six.

Bex Tyson took the mantle of the main left-arm spinner, with Linsey Smith with England, and immediately struck as she pinned Meg Austin with her first delivery.

At the other end, Freya Davies accounted for Sterre Kalis and Davina Perrin in back-to-back overs – Yorkshire loanee Kalis had her stump flattened while teenager Perrin steered to point.

Mary Taylor entered the attack and bowled Katie George in her first over, before spin re-took control with wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby catching Bethan Ellis and Nat Wraith off Georgia Adams and Charli Knott.

Hampshire may well have been considering a short chase and an afternoon off, but Freeborn had other ideas.

She manipulated the field to ease her side from being routed, while striking semi-regular boundaries square of the wicket to build the foundations of a strong total.

Pavely continued her excellent season with the bat and gave Freeborn energetic support, with the latter reaching her second fifty of the season in 84 deliveries.

Pavely followed her in 70 balls as an above-par score looked on the cards, and when Pavely was stumped for 55, Georgia Davis took over.

The pair put on an unbroken 53, including 40 off the last three overs, but they couldn’t contrive to take Freeborn, who swept strongly in the second half of her innings, to three figures. 

However, 243 for seven was significantly competitive after Hampshire had allowed things to drift.

Hannah Rainey hadn’t had to bat on her One-Day Cup debut, but with the new ball, she began with a maiden.

Ella McCaughan and Maia Bouchier cracked seven boundaries between them, but both fell to Davis when set. Bouchier flicked to square-leg, while McCaughan was lbw.

But Knott and Adams avoided a similar top-order slip to Warwickshire earlier, with both showing class and timing.

Australian Knott’s scoring was dominated by boundaries, eight of them in her 46-ball half-century, while Adams

Knott gave Davis her third wicket when she top-edged a sweep on 82, before Southby chopped a pull onto her own stumps.

Adams fell for 68 when she was leg-before to Hannah Baker, with Abi Norgrove slicing to point as Hampshire wobbled to 205 for six – still 38 runs short.

In the reverse fixture at Edgbaston, the two teams tied, and things flirted with a similar outcome, especially when Nancy Harman was bowled with eight needed off 16 balls.

But having taken it to the final over, Taylor secured the three-wicket victory with four balls to spare.

Warwickshire batter Abbey Freeborn said: “Throughout the whole match, we have shown a lot of fight. It is fair to say we were on the back foot for parts of it, but our players were courageous and showed lots of character to keep us in the game and take it to the last over.

“There is a clear way we want to play, and we are going to lose early wickets sometimes. Pavs batted really well in the middle overs and batted with great intent, I was really proud of her.

“It was a great wicket, the Hampshire bowlers bowled well, so I’m pleased to put some runs on the board. But unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough today.

“It has been a mixed bag for us so far in the competition. We’ve had some brilliant chases and then some matches we haven’t been as pleased with. We are in a good position, and the Blast will do us good. We are showing good signs, and hopefully we can kick on later in the year.”