Match Preview | T20 Women's County Cup | Northamptonshire Steelbacks | 17 May 2025

It’s T20 time again, as Leicestershire head to East Midlands neighbours Northamptonshire for round three of the Vitality T20 Women's County Cup.

The Foxes sealed their place at The County Ground by defeating Cheshire by seven wickets on home soil last weekend, with Becki Brooker’s 42 and April Herathge’s 3/11 headlining a strong showing.

The Steelbacks beat Shropshire by 71 runs in round two, scoring 137/6 having been precariously placed at 50/6 after 11.2 overs before Mabel Reid and Ella Phillips’ 87-run alliance.

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“It’ll be a tough challenge, but it’ll be nice to avenge the first game of the season, if we can. I think playing at their main ground helps us know what to expect, whereas outgrounds are a little trickier to prepare for.

“As a batting group, we’ve spoken about putting bowlers under pressure, especially at the start of their overs. If we can get a boundary from the first two balls, then pick up another four or five runs, you’re winning every single over in the innings.

“Last week put the first bits into practice as a T20 side, and if we can build on the positives we showed at Yorkshire, we’ll be in a great place.”

Squad:

Three changes to the 13, as Flora Davies, D’Nica Roff and Ellen Watson all come back into contention, having missed Thursday’s trip to York. Laura Crofts is in line for her Foxes T20 debut.

Leicestershire Foxes: Brooker*, Brown, Colquhoun, Crofts, Davies, Herathge, Phillips, Roff, Sweet, Thatcher, Watson+, Weston, Whitfield.

Follow Live:

Play-by-play updates will be issued via @leicswomenccc on X and Instagram, and via Leicestershire CCC Women on Facebook. Post-match reaction will also be available through the Club’s official website.