Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com – 03/09/2026 – Cricket – Metro Bank One Day Cup Women – Yorkshire Women v Somerset Women – Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, England – Yorkshire’s Hannah Rainey celebrates dismissing Somerset’s Emma Corney.
Yorkshire may be out of contention for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockouts, but they still see the next week as vital to their development as a side.
The White Rose county were beaten by Somerset at Headingley on Wednesday, a game in which they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Chasing 131, they were 121-5 and cruising, only to slip to 125 all out to lose by five.
There have been some obvious highs this summer; two wins against Lancashire and one against treble-chasers The Blaze, for example.
Unfortunately, though, they could and should have won more than six games across both the One-Day Cup and Vitality Blast competitions.
On a number of occasions, Yorkshire have played some impressive cricket, got themselves into winning positions and have just fallen short.
The two games against Somerset this season highlight that point. Wednesday, we have just spoken about. But back in April, for the opening game of the summer at Taunton – in the One-Day Cup, they had the hosts at 115-8 chasing 179, only for Sophie Luff to see her side home with 76 not out.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ami Campbell was the top-scorer with 35 in Thursday’s defeat against Somerset at Headingley.
Yorkshire now have three games remaining, two of which are against title-chasers.
First up are second-placed Hampshire – last year’s finalists – at the Utilita Bowl tomorrow, starting at 10.30am. They are second in the table already qualified for a semi-final at least having won 10 of 14 games.
Then come bottom-side Essex at Chelmsford on Wednesday before the season wraps up against defending champions Lancashire at Headingley on Saturday. As things stand, the Red Rose remain in contention.
Seamer Hannah Rainey, who claimed three wickets in Wednesday’s Somerset game – and three in the one before that against Surrey at Ampleforth, said: “We’ve got three games in the next week, and we’ll be looking to bounce back.
“The last game of the season will be against Lancashire, and that’s a big game for any Yorkshire player to play in.
“We will be looking to finish strong this season.
“It’s fair to say we’ve been disappointed at times with how we’ve played, but we’re going to be looking to finish well.”
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Hampshire’s Australian overseas star Amanda-Jade Wellington is in excellent form with the ball at present.
Hampshire are already qualified for the knockouts for the second year running.
Last year’s beaten finalists are second in the table on 46 points, five behind leaders The Blaze.
They beat Yorkshire by 16 runs DLS at York in May and won their last game, on Thursday, by nine wickets chasing 201 at Durham.
Captained by batting all-rounder Georgia Adams, they are coached by former Essex men’s captain Paul Prichard. They have Australian leg-spinning all-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington as their overseas player.
Wellington is the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 26 at present, including eight in her last three matches.
