Latest news with #AbtahaMaqsood
BBC News
16 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Test Match Special The team of the year with no fixtures
BBC Cricket reporter Henry Moeran hears how the Scotland Women's cricket team went from being their nations team of the year and their historic first World Cup appearance, to not having a single fixture in their calendar. In December 2024, a month after playing in their first ever World Cup, Scotland's women had just been named their nations sporting team of the year. Six months later, they have no International fixtures and have not played at home since 2022. Henry Moeran is joined by TMS commentator Daniel Norcross to assess what could be done to help Scotland and hears from the Director of Performance at Cricket Scotland, Steve Snell. Snell tells us how the lack of fixtures impacts the team and his message to the governing body. Plus Scotland players Abtaha Maqsood and Sarah Bryce share their concerns of what could happen to Scottish cricket if the situation is not resolved.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Somerset Women comfortably beaten by Essex in Vitality Blast
Vitality Blast: Essex Women 149-7 defeated Somerset 84-9 by 65 runs Esmae MacGregor claimed career-best T0 figures as Essex's bowlers ripped through the Somerset batting line-up to secure their side's first win of the Women's Vitality Blast at Chelmsford, writes Ben Kosky, ECB Reporters' Network. Advertisement The Essex medium-pacer finished with four for eight from 3.2 overs, while leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood took two for 16 as the visitors were rolled for just 84, with Fran Wilson their only batter to reach double figures. Somerset had looked strongly-placed at halfway after seamer Ellie Anderson's three for 19 restricted their opponents to 149 for seven, opener Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scoring with 42 from 25 balls. Anderson struck with her first delivery after Somerset had won the toss and inserted their hosts, uprooting Grace Scrivens' middle stump to set the tone with two tight powerplay overs. Read more: The seamer should have snapped up another early wicket, spilling a return drive from Lissy Macleod, while Winfield-Hill swept Chloe Skelton for successive boundaries as the pair added a brisk 45 from 33. Advertisement But Olivia Barnes' acrobatic catch at square leg, leaping to grab the ball one-handed at the second attempt, removed Macleod and Alex Griffiths castled Winfield-Hill in the next over to leave Essex under pressure. Amanda-Jade Wellington's miserly spell of two for 21 maintained control, but Sophia Smale – dropped early on by Mollie Robbins – provided some impetus with 22 from 18 before she was eventually bowled trying to ramp the medium-pacer. Jo Gardner (20 from 22) and Eva Gray both cleared the ropes during the death overs to haul their side to fractionally short of 150 – a total that looked far more challenging for Somerset after they lost four wickets in the powerplay. Dropped at slip first ball, Bex Odgers was then caught behind slashing at Kate Coppack and Emma Corney swung at Scrivens and missed before Amelie Munday skied MacGregor into the hands of mid-on. Advertisement Skipper Sophie Luff also fell cheaply, cleaned up by Gray's inswinger, but the experienced Wilson started strongly with successive fours off Coppack and was looking nicely set with 25 from 19 when she perished top-edging a sweep off Maqsood. The leg-spinner also accounted for Griffiths before diving forward at mid-on to pouch Anderson's drive off MacGregor and Somerset's last faint hope of a fightback evaporated when Wellington holed out to long leg. With Barnes unable to bat after sustaining an injury in the field, the contest ended in the 15th over as MacGregor has Skelton caught at mid-off to secure the ninth Somerset wicket – and her fourth.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Essex and Lancs claim first T20 wins of campaign
Essex and Lancashire both claimed their first victories of the season in the Women's T20 Blast. Wicketkeeper Lauren Winfield-Hill top scored with 42 from 25 balls as Essex set Somerset 150 to win at Chelmsford. Advertisement Somerset's Ellie Anderson picked up figures of 3-19 off four overs which included the wicket of Essex captain Grace Scrivens with the seamer's first ball of the innings. Olivia Barnes took a stunning catch at square leg to remove Lissy Macleod, one of two catches by Barnes, who was forced off with a hand injury after the second and was unable to play any further part. Somerset stalled in their reply, and when Eva Gray's in-swinger took skipper Sophie Luff's off stump to leave them 29-4, the visitors chances looked to be in tatters. A fifth-wicket partnership of 25 between Fran Wilson and Alex Griffiths gave Somerset a brief glimmer of hope, but when Wilson fell to leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood, the writing was on the wall for the visitors. Advertisement Esmae MacGregor finished with career-best T20 figures of 4-8 as Somerset were quickly bowled out for 84, still 66 runs short of their target, with last batter Barnes unfit to take to the crease. Lancashire Thunder bounced back from their seven-wicket defeat by The Blaze on Saturday with a gutsy 18-run victory over Durham at Chester-le-Street. The visitors put on 140-7 in their 20 overs with captain Ellie Threlkeld top-scoring with 48 and Aisla Lister adding 42 not out. Durham's run chase started well with Suzie Bates and Katherine Fraser putting on 61 for the first wicket as the hosts went in search of a first win of the campaign. Advertisement But Thunder recovered in the second half of the innings, taking nine wickets for only 61 runs. Four wickets from Grace Potts (4-33) and two each for Sophie Morris (2-22), Sophie Ecclestone (2-24) and Grace Johnson (2-25) helped turn the match around for the Red Rose.
