Women's Metrobank Must Win v Lancashire
By Grockle
September 9 2026
The Women have two games left to get into a position to go forward into a semi final and a possible place in the Final of the One Day Cup in Southampton in about a fortnight's time. Both our Somerset sides could be in a trophy final stages in the last week of the season. But the women have to win both games to be certain and may still need Warwickshire to mess up along the way. You can only do what you can do and each game left in the season counts. We face Lancashire at Taunton today in what could be Kate Cross's last professional match of a phenomenal career. Sophie luff has won the toss and elected to field first. The ground looks ready so we seem to be starting on time
Women's Metrobank 50 v Lancashire @ Taunton Wednesday 9 September 2026
Somerset are still in the hunt and to stay there they need to win every game left in their season. In this one they have won the toss and elected to chase in the cloudy morning in the West Country.
The side for today is;
Odgers, Luff (c), Corney, Holland, Hazell, Jones (wk), Griffiths, Skelton, Westley, Anderson, Harris
The same eleven as the side that lost versus the Blaze over the weekend has been chosen. Ellie Anderson as usual will open the bowling for Somerset against the opening batting partnership of Eve Jones and Gaby Lewis. They take 1 from the first and then face Alex Griffiths in the second over where Jones adds the first boundary to her single and Lamcashire finish that one with 5 without loss.
There are no wickets downas we pass 5 overs. The visitors have moved on to 23 with Jones on 9 from her 15 and Lewis on 14 from hers. Griffiths has gone for 16 from her two while her new ball partner has only gone for 7 from her 3.
However, it is Alex who claims the first victom of the day as she traps Jones in front with the 4th ball of the 6th. Eve Jones goes for 9 from 16 LBW to Griffiths at 23 for 1. In comes Tilley Kesteven at number 3 who sees out the over without scoring.
No more wickets before Chloe Skelton comes on to bowl the 10th at 42 for 1 and her first bowl is popped back to the bowler from Kesteven. She goes for 3 at 42 for 2 and Chloe has her 98th List A wicket. In comes keeper and skipper Kellie Threlkeld and she moves the score to 44 after 10 overs.
Jasmine Westley starts her morning with the 11th and she is joined by Lola Harris for the 12th who starts with a maiden over. Chloe changes ends as Threlkeld hits a boundary that brings up the visitors 50 at 53 for 2 with Lewis in the driving seat with 31 to her name. However at 63 for 2 in the 14th Lewis is next to go at 36 as she sweeps straight into the hands of Jess Hazell from the bowling of Lola Harris 63 for 3 in the 14th. Before we reach the 20th over we get a little closer as the Lancs pair get themselves in all kinds of trouble and despite some awful fielding under pressure Threlkeld is finally stranded in the middle of the wicket even though Jones drops the ball more than once!! She goes for 20 from 31 with the first ball of the 19th run out by Griffiths at 74 for 4.
Seren Smale is joined by Fi Morris in the middle and they look to reconstruct this innings from a very poor start as we hear that Warwickshire have indeed messed up being bowled out by Surrey for 55 and then have been beaten in a game lasting 26 overs by 10 wickets. Can we now capitalise on this?
At 20 overs Lancashire had moved pretty slowly to 79 for 4 and we have the press on well and truly. The livestreamvisual goes missing for part of the next 5 overs and when it returns the 100 has arrived for the visitors and at the end of the 26th from Skelton Lancashire are at 103 for 4 with Morris on 11 from 223 and Smale on 22 from 34 so they have re-established some stability to the innings. They manage a 50 partnership by the end of the 30th over as Smale moves on to 30 and Morris has 18.
Somerset re-introduce Anderson with Harris but the pair keep moving forward and they have reached 150 from a Smale single from Skelton in her 8th (1 for 33) and the 35th of the innings.
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They are still in the hunt for a place in the next round of this tournament but they need to win the home game against Lancashire and the away fixture versus Surrey while Warwickshire have to come a cropper with one of their last games.
The squad for tomorrow's game will be;
Odgers, Luff, Davis R, Corney, Holland, Jones, Hazell, Griffiths, Skelton, Anderson, Westley, Harris, Barnes
Have to admit that on this game, I don’t have mixed loyalties because Lancashire captain Ellie Threlkeld came up through the club I support, Rainford . Her enthusiasm for the game was a joy to watch when she was a teenager playing in the men’s team ( though we weren’t premier league then ). Laura Jackson who also had a year with Somerset also came through Rainford’s second team ; indeed Laura and Ellie’s boyfriends are Rainford’s two opening bats. Ellie’s boyfriend Matt also keeps at times and of course gets sledged that he isn’t as good a wicketkeeper as his girlfriend. Her brother was first team keeper here for a few years until he lost his love for the game ; perhaps fed up of “ you aren’t even the best keeper in your family “.
Laura isn’t playing any cricket at the moment though is playing hockey. One of Somerset’s players told me last year that she was really well liked and missed in the dressing room and indeed she hosted a meal for them the day before they played at Southport this year when they beat Lancashire.