Lauren Winfield-Hill, Yorkshire’s captain, demonstrated her remarkable form yet again, scoring 60 off 35 balls. This helped set up a compelling third-round match against her future teammates at Essex in the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup. Yorkshire overcame Staffordshire with relative ease in their second-round tie.
Upon winning the toss at Weetwood, Winfield-Hill found reliable support from Rebecca Duckworth, who added 51 in 54 balls. Together, they set a challenging target of 177 runs for their Tier 3 opponents. Olivia Thomas was the star with the ball, claiming 3 for 17 from her four overs of leg-spin. Claudie Cooper and Beth Langston also contributed, each taking two wickets as Staffordshire were bowled out for 108, narrowly missing their full quota of overs.
Continuing from an impressive 88-run innings against Derbyshire earlier that week, Winfield-Hill was aggressive early, striking four boundaries in the second over off Lucy Shenton, Staffordshire’s captain. Even with two missed opportunities in the field, she reached a half-century in just 28 balls, then lofted the first six before being dismissed for 60 by Georgie Harrison, concluding a pivotal 91-run partnership with Duckworth.
Staffordshire’s chase began falteringly, progressing to just nine runs from the opening three overs. Claudie Cooper’s off-spin broke through as Winfield-Hill executed a sharp stumping of Helen Hughes. Though Staffordshire briefly rebounded to 50 for 1, they faltered to 67 for 4 midway through their innings and never posed a significant threat.
This victory sees Yorkshire hosting a Tier 1 team for the first time as Essex travels to Weetwood next weekend. Winfield-Hill, who will later join Essex on loan for the T20 Blast, is likely to be a key player in that encounter.
Elsewhere, Glamorgan secured home advantage against Tier 1 Lancashire after a 48-run triumph over Sussex in Cardiff. Glamorgan posted 156 for 7 in their innings, thanks in part to Bethan Gammon’s 41 off 30 balls. Sussex then struggled, losing early wickets and managing just 108 for 7 in their chase.
Oxfordshire earned a home fixture against The Blaze in the next round by defeating Hertfordshire by 24 runs. Sophisticated batting from Sophie Grayson (48 off 37) and Ellie Ingram (an unbeaten 53 off 29) powered Oxfordshire to 191 for 7. Hertfordshire made a spirited effort, reaching 80 for 1 at one stage, but ended at 167 for 3.
Leicestershire efficiently disposed of Cheshire at Grace Road, restricting them to 93 runs before achieving victory in just over 12 overs. Becki Brooker led with the bat, scoring 42 from 37 balls. In another game, Cambridgeshire overcame Northumberland by 18 runs in Corbridge, with Kelly Haynes taking 3 for 13 to defend their total of 131.
Yorkshire’s focus now shifts to preparing for Essex, where Winfield-Hill’s experience could be a deciding factor against her future colleagues.
