The Metro Bank One Day Cup returns on Saturday 13 June, with Warwickshire Women entertaining Lancashire at Portland Road. Here are the details…
Bears’ form guide (last three)
L-W-W
The Bears won back-to-back games for the first time in the competition before the T20 break, results that saw them climb up to fourth in the table on 18 points. From eight games so, they’ve won four and lost three, with one fixture washed out due to rain. They entered the break in good form.
The first of their two most recent victories came against this week’s opponents, in an entertaining game in Southport, where the Bears won by four wickets with nine balls to spare. The following week, Warwickshire triumphed over Yorkshire in another enthralling game, eventually getting over the line by three wickets.
Having been involved in several tight games so far, you can expect the Bears to be in another here.
Three in focus
Mary Taylor
While it’s been a torrid time for the Bears in the Vitality Blast, Mary Taylor, who is in her first season with the side after signing during the off-season, has started to settle into her surroundings. In the Blast she’s been controlled with the ball, picking up seven wickets, and last time out against Somerset, she scored some much-need runs down the order.
Charis Pavely
Charis Pavely is the leading run-scorer in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, after amassing 466 runs in eight innings prior to the break. Those runs came as a staggering average of 77.66 and earned her a call-up to the England squad for their recent One Day series against New Zealand.
Kate Cross (Lancashire)
England star Kate Cross has been the pick of Lancashire’s bowlers in this year’s Metro Bank One Day Cup, taking 13 wickets while averaging 23.61. Almost more impressively, her economy rate of 4.38 is one of the best in the competition. Cross will be hoping to help her side climb the table in the second half of the season.
Opposition insight
Lancashire have mixed two wins with six losses so far in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and currently sit bottom of the table.
Although they’ve struggled for consistency so far, the two wins they’ve achieved have been against two of the best teams in the league, showing what they’re capable of on their day. That was evident at the start of May, against Hampshire who currently sit second in the league, with Lancs easing to a six-wicket win in Manchester.
With several important players that can be devastating on their day, including Cross, Eve Jones, captain Eleanor Threlkeld and Emma Lamb, the Red Rose shouldn’t be underestimated.
Previous meetings
The teams last met in this competition on Wednesday 13 May, with the Bears winning a back-and-forth match by four wickets.
Batting first, Lancashire had several players make starts without striking a telling contribution, as the wickets were shared amongst the Warwickshire attack. Mary Taylor was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 47, and she was ably assisted by Georgia Davis and Phoebe Brett who both took two wickets apiece. Lancashire ended their innings on 226 for nine.
In reply, Charis Pavely produced another outstanding innings to give the Bears impetus in their chase, with a 58-ball 63, however Warwickshire were seemingly in trouble at 155 for six before Taylor and Nat Wraith came to the crease. The duo would both end the game unbeaten, in a 75-run stand, with Taylor (42*) and Wraith (34*) seeing the Bears to a four-wicket win.
When the two teams met last season, it was Lancashire who got the better of proceedings on both occasions, winning by 101 runs at Edgbaston before coming out on top by five wickets in a rain-affected game later in the season.