Brooker Century Leads Leicestershire To Emphatic Win

Leicestershire Women kicked off their 2024 campaign in emphatic fashion, beating Cambridgeshire by 203 runs in the 50-over group two clash in Sawston.

Newly appointed skipper Becki Brooker led from the front with a magnificent 145, before spin duo April Herathge and Zaynah Rehman tore through the home batting lineup to cement a comprehensive victory.

Cambridge won the toss and invited the Foxes to bat first. Brooker survived an early run out chance before settling into her groove, finding the ropes with the penultimate ball of the opening over.

The 24-year-old put on 37 with Georgia Relf, who was run out for eight midway through the sixth, but Brooker continued to motor as she found increasing stability with the top order.

A stand of 65 with Sophie Bennett (19) took the score beyond 100 after 18.4 overs, as Brooker reached her half-century off 56 deliveries (7x4).

A mammoth 147-run stand with 17-year-old all-rounder D’Nica Roff then put Leicestershire in firm control. The run-rate gathered momentum over-by-over, with captain Brooker breezing towards her hundred.

She pummelled Beth Matthews for five consecutive boundaries to blitz her way through the so-called ‘nervous nineties’ and bring up a marvellous maiden Leicestershire ton (108b, 14x4).

South-Africa-born Roff, promoted to number four, looked in equally good touch “ earning her first Foxes fifty just six overs later (60b, 5x4).

Roff fell for 54 with nine overs remaining “ the score 249/3 - before Brooker’s heroic knock came to an end on 145. Elsa Mills-Thomas claiming both wickets. Aimee Colquhoun’s cameo of 17* (14b) helped Leicestershire beyond 300, posting an imposing 303/6 from their 50 overs.

The squeeze with the ball began immediately. Vice-captain Una Paramjothy struck twice, whilst Colquhoun dismissed Kelly Haynes to leave Cambridge reeling on 33/3 after eight.

Then came the turn, literally, of dynamic spin duo Herathge and Rehman “ who took seven for 39 between them.  Right-arm leggie, Herathge, took her Leicestershire best figures of four for 28 from six overs, while Rehman, a left-arm wrist spinner, also took her Foxes best “ three for 11 from 5.4 overs.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, with both spinners finding far greater turn than the home attack had managed earlier in the day. Bennett’s sharp work behind the stumps accounted for Atarah Perera, Rehman’s first, before Herathge struck twice in as many balls to leave Cambridge 92/9.

Rehman completed the rout by pinning Mills-Thomas leg-before for two, giving Stephen Franklin’s side a 203-run victory and firing them to the top of group two after the opening round.

A full scorecard can be viewed HERE.