Freeborn takes positives despite Yorkshire defeat

Abbey Freeborn continued her good form in the Vitality Blast and was keen to focus on the positives despite Warwickshire Bears Women falling to a five-wicket defeat against Yorkshire at Edgbaston Stadium.

2026-07-05T16:10+01:00

Freeborn (65) took her tally of runs in the competition past 300, and combined with Georgia Redmayne (52) in a 72-run third wicket stand as the Bears posted a testing total of 161 for three from their 20 overs.

In reply, Yorkshire kept up with the rate thanks to telling contributions from Jess Jonassen (61) and Lauren Winfield-Hill (42), but when the Bears’ Millie Taylor took the wicket of Winfield-Hill in the 17th over, the game was in the balance.

A late cameo from Sarah Glenn (21* off 11 balls) took the game away from the Bears though, with Yorkshire eventually reaching their total with three balls remaining.

Freeborn, although disappointed the Bears weren’t able to make it four wins in a row in the competition, was proud of how the team took the game deep, after Yorkshire had looked to be easing to victory when Jonassen and Winfield-Hill were set.

“I thought we had enough at half time,” she said. “They've batted brilliantly and so unfortunately it wasn't quite enough for us today.

“We got ourselves back into it with those wickets which is such a positive for us, and we took it down to the last over.

“Sarah Glenn came in at the end there and won them the game, but up until then, we were right in it, and it was really a 50-50 chance with two overs to go.

“They had to go hard in the 19th over and it came off of them, which is just unlucky for us.”

Freeborn is enjoying her best season to date in T20 cricket having scored 329 runs so far at an average of 41, with today’s half-century marking her fourth of the campaign.

The right-handed bat was upbeat about her form in the competition, despite results not always following suit for the Bears.

“From a personal perspective, I'm pleased with how my form has been,” she added.

“Unfortunately for us, Yorkshire had their day today. The partnership between me and Georgia [Redmayne] was good and we set it up so that we could go hard at the back end.