Women Beat Derbyshire To Reach Tier Two Finals Day
Sun 20 Jul 2025
Leicestershire Women have secured their spot at the inaugural Tier Two Vitality Blast Finals Day after defeating Derbyshire Falcons by 16 runs at Repton School.
Lucy Weston’s 34-ball half-century and three wickets for Ellie Phillips (3/29) inspired the Foxes to victory on a triumphant day for Stephen Franklin’s side.
Inserted in a must-win contest, captain Becki Brooker and in-form opener Francesca Sweet lay impressive early foundations, with the latter helping herself to successive boundaries off spinner Maria Andrews midway through the second over.
Brooker, returning to form in defiant fashion, displayed an array of shots to fire three Pagan Hardwick deliveries to the ropes to conclude the Powerplay, elevating Leicestershire to 37 without loss on a sodden outfield.
The heavy Derbyshire downpour pre-match had significantly slowed the ground, as boundaries became harder to come by. 5.4 overs had elapsed “ and the wickets of Sweet (23) and Scarlett Hughes (4) had fallen “ by the time Weston pummelled Hardwick to the fence twice in succession.
It left Leicestershire 69 for two after 12 overs, with Weston pressing her foot on the accelerator while Brooker anchored patiently alongside her.
Weston brought up the 50 stand at the beginning of the 17th when swiping home skipper Adrianna Darlow to the cow corner ropes, but lost partner Brooker “ run out for 35 “ at the end of the over.
The 20-year-old wasn’t deterred, however, as she pushed the score towards 120 “ a total which looked imposing on an outfield which was plugging at every turn.
A huge six off Rhiannon Knowling-Davies took her to 44 not out, before a tiring all-run four took Weston (50*) to a priceless 34-ball fifty a couple of balls later. So enervating was her innings, exacerbated by having to run four to reach the milestone, the all-rounder barely had the energy to lift her bat. When she did, the away dressing room erupted in appreciation.
Finishing on 125 for five after taking 14 from the final over, Leicestershire had built mounting momentum to take into their defence. One which only got stronger when Ellie Philips bowled Jess Couser (2) with a trademark in-swinger “ her first delivery of the innings “ to leave the Falcons three for one.
Derbyshire never threatened to rise to the required rate, as the Foxes’ seamers kept scoring to a minimum in the opening exchanges. When Holly Whitfield had Lara Shaw (13) caught by Sweet in the deep midway through the ninth, the Falcons had limped to 32 for two.
Wickets continued to tumble as April Herathge and Sweet both claimed one apiece, before Whitfield had Tash Allen (3) caught by former Falcons seamer Emma Thatcher at mid on to reduce Derbyshire to 66 for five.
Ella Porter provided some resistance, but she couldn’t repel Phillips on her return to the attack, caught by Hughes at cow for 41 at the start of the 18th to kill off any late home hopes. Two more wickets in Phillips’ final over “ including a run out for Herathge “ saw the Foxes coast to victory by 16 runs.
The win elevates Leicestershire to second in the North Group, setting up a tantalising semi-final with Middlesex in Northampton for Saturday’s inaugural Tier Two Finals Day. Ticket details will be confirmed in due course.
