Somerset
Women's Metrobank 50 Surrey - Next 'Must Win'
By Grockles
September 12 2026
The path to silverware comes like this. Beat Surrey today at the Oval. The beat Hampshire at Southamptonin the 'Eliminator' next Wednesday. Then beat Notts at the same place in the Final. Simples. The path starts today with a game in London. Win and we go on, lose and an excellent season ends at that point. Hope Springs eternal. Liv Barnes returns in stead of Jazz Westley today.
Women's Metrobank50 - v Surrey @The Oval Saturday 12 September 2026
Somerset continue in the 50 over tournament with all the games now being 'must win' ones. There are three left and then silver if they win but each ends the season if they lose. It's been a real progression for the side this year and topping it off with their first trophy would be amazing. Surrey stand in their way today. They won the toss and put the visitors in'
Somerset go into this one with one change in the side from the Lancashire win in Taunton mid week;
Odgers, Luff (c), Corney, Holland, Hazell, Jones (wk), Griffiths, Skelton, Anderson, Harris, Barnes
So Liv Barnes replaces Jazz Westley for this game but otherwise the side is the same. The Blaze reached the final yesterday but there is all to play for in this game for both sides. The winners meet Hampshire in Southampton on Wednesday.
The one question here is that without an England game pending, Sophia Dunkley is in the Surrey line-up after her return from England dutiy. We see no sign of either Charlie Dean or Dani Gibson ioin our squad for the same game. The debate is whether England have been selective in who they have allowed to be considered or whether Somerset have gone with the side that got them here. Heather Knight has been in this side during the campaign but seems to be considering her future involvement in cricket after her international retirement. No news on which was the position as of yet. Sad if it is the first but I'd be supportive if it was the second because the logic of that and the loayalty to the players is in that.
Odgers and Luff come to the middle to face overseas signing Sune Luus and Kate Coppack as Surrey's new ball opening pair. They have 9 all from Bex from the first two overs against very competent and tight bowling. In fact Luff does not get off the mark until the last ball of the 5th over when she takes a four off Coppack to move the score to 24 for no wicket. The opening partnership ends 3 balls later as Bex tries to move one through midwicket which goes on and she is bowled by Luus for 19 from 22. In comes Emma Corney off her half ton in the middle of the week.
With no further loss against very good bowling from bioith ends, the New Somerset pair see out the 'Powerplay' at 41 for 1 with Luff moving to 14 from 23 and Corney 6 from 14. It shows the speed at which Odgers score at the front of the innings that these two have only just passed her individiaul score after 10.
Alice Monaghan replaces Coppack for the 11th and she is a thorn in our side again as her third ball beats Corney all ends up and takes out the off stump to send Emma on her way for 7 at 45 for 2. In comes Niamh Holland at number 4 and she sees out the 11th adding a single. Luus is also reseted as Ryana MacDonald-Gay takes the ball. Her first ball sees Niamh guide it down to the boundary to bring up the Somerset 50 from 67 balls.
By the 15th over, the pair have moved to 70 for 2 without too many issues (a couple of LBW appeals that came to nothing) . They move past 3 figures in the 20th over with a four from Holland off the bowling of the returning Coppack. It moves the Somerset bat to 22 from 23 with her captain on 43 from 55.
Sophie does what she has done all season, she leads from the front and passes 50 off Gregroy in the 21st with a four from a full toss. It took her 58 balls with 7 fours and the score moves on to 110 for 2.
Surrey look to get a breakthrough so they bring on Kalea Moore for the 24th at 130 for 2 with the 3rd wicket partnership knocking on the door of 100. The players take drinks at the end of the 25th with Somerset on 139 for 2 (a partnership of 94) with Holland on 38 from 40 and Luff on 64 from 71 so they are both keeping the rate going well.
They reach the 100 partnership off Monaghan in the 27th at 39 and 69 respectively. Luff gets a life as she uppercuts a short ball from Alice which sends it in the air to Dani Gregory who drops it on 69. Instead they move to 147 for 2 with 23 overs left.
Holland takes two off Moore halfway through the 28th to bring up the visitors 150, moving herself into the 40s. The base at the 30 over stage is 161 for 2. Over 300 ought to be the target. How far over depends on these two really but there is a lot of batting to come.
Macdonald - Gay rotates in for the 31st and Luffy may have her second 'life' with the second ball which is dropped on the leg side by Monaghan with the skipper on 75 in and out of the bread basket as she dived forward. Sune Luus rotates in as well for the 32nd to produce a full change of bowling. Niamh gets four off a loopy full toss to take her to 53 from 63 at 169 for 2. Surrey are pressing though and have shut the run rate down a bit with their bowling. They do need to get rid of these two though to really shut the 'over 300' plan down.
With 15 remaining it is 179 for 2, Holland has moved to 59 from 73 and Luff has a 98 balll 80. The strike rate has slowed a little but with this platform given the overs left they must expect to add over 100 to this total. However, Somerset have seen such bases underused at the end of an innings this season so they have to keep the focus and an eye firmly on the prize.
Surrey Skipper Chathli looks to keep the rotation going as she re-introduces Monaghan for the 35th. In her second innings, Niamh shows the strength of her technique as she top edges a six to the longer leg side boundary with total ease. The rate is starting to move up again towards the 5.5 per over level as a misfield brings up the 150 partnership with a boundary at 197 for 2 with 13 overs left.
Moore is back for the 38th and a second single in it brings up the 200 with Holland on 70 and Luff on 90. By the 40th Niamh is chasing her skipper to 3 figures at 219 for 2 she has moved to 82 from 93 while Sophie is a little becalmed at 93 from 107. The run rate has moved up to 5.4 as they reach 216 with 10 overs to go.
Luus takes the 42nd and makes the bats stay sensible though they are batting like cats on hot bricks at the moment trying to push the score along. Holland moves into the 90's while Luff is still there on 98. Monaghan changes ends for the 43rd. Sophie takes a single to move to 99. Holland puts her back on strike with a single and she takes a quick one to go to 100 (her second of the season) from 113 balls with 10 fours - what a great knock that is taking into account that she was on zero for about the first 13 balls of the game.
232 at the end of the 43rd with Luus bowling out in the 44th starting at 1 for 32. Luff goes on the charge with a lifted four as they move to 239 - still on track for that 300 total. Monaghan will also bowl out in the next one starting at 1 for 49. Surrey finally breaks through as Luff looks to push and is caught by Dunkley at 241 for 3. The captain leaves with 108 from 118 and if Somerset progress she will be a great part of why that is happening. In comes Alex Griffiths with a job to do. She will have to be running from ball one but the space is given for her to for her to do that by that partnership of 196.
Alex starts with 2 and we end the 45th at 244. Monaghan ends her 10 with 2 for 54 and Dani Gregory takes the 46th. They are pushing for runs but that means taking risks and Griffiths hits Gregory straight to Alice Davison-Richards for 6 at 248 for 4. Jess Hazell comes in at number 6. She's off the mark straight away getting Niamh on strike and she drives through the covers to send the ball to the rope to bring up the 250 off the last ball of the over. Somerset move to 253 for 4 and holland moves to 98 at the end of the 46th.
Macdonald-Gay takes the 47th and a second run from Niamh moves her to 100 from 113 balls with 9 fours and 1 six - what a knock that was. It is 256 for 4 and we need to keep pushing this score. However with that comes risks and Jess gets a leading edge to the first ball of the 48th and departs for 2 from 3 caught by Coppack. It brings in Katie Jones but she doesn't stay long as the rush for runs causes too many loose shots. She is caught by Luus the ball after she goes for the reverse sweep off Moore. 263 for 6 and Somerset now have to manage the panic that may stop them getting where they need to be.
Chloe Skelton is the next bat in and Macdonald - Gay bowls and Holland is dropped on the boundary though it was very difficult and it did stop the four so not a great loss. It brings Skelton on strike and she stays there but hits the next one for six!! Niamh takes a single to get strike for the last over at 278 for 6. Niamh has moved to 113 and Chloe has 7. Surrey choose Moore as their last bowler and her first ball is smashed through the offside for four. Niamh is up the wicket and top edges the next which is dropped after being in the aier for an age. In the third, Skelton is run out looking for the second at 284 for 7. Chloe goes for 7 and in comes Anderson. The next ball is a poor one and Holland puts it away. She then sweeps the next one for another four and the last is heaved out for 2 and Somerset finish on 296. Niamh Holland finishes with 130 from 128 with 14 fours and a six - great knock. Ellie Anderson just watched 2 balls got around the place.
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So this is the story of two bats who looked at the game and decided to stamp their authority on it. With a few lives in there they have put their county in a position where progressions is very possible and now they ask their bowlers (Niamh being one of them) to put this Surrey line up away for less than 295.
The Reply
Rachel King and Sophia Dunkley come out to get this Surrey reply off and running with a hopefully solid base. They will be facing Alex Griffiths in the first over and then after adding 5, Ellie Anderson takes the other new ball from the other end. the first objective is not to lose and early wicketand with 13 after the second they have got past the first job. Then they need to push the score and after 3 they have moved on to 21 fro the first 2 with 6 boundaries in that so they are shifting the score at 7 an over. Things are looking good for the home side.
Alex looks to change this as she bowls an 'inducker' to Dunkley. The Surrey bat looks to ramp it but misses it and it takes the off bail, bowling her for 17 from 11 at 30 for 1. In comes Alice Monaghan and by the 8th over the new pair have moved the score towards the first 50 runs of the innings. They have got to 49 at the start of the 9th as Olivia Barnes comes on for the first time with a rate standing at about 6 an over, more than they actually need.
The required comes from a top edge flash from King from the 5th ball of the Barnes tight over. 51 for 1 in 8.5 overs with King on 18 from 26 and Monaghan on 11 from 15. Anderson takes us to 10 overs with the score moving to 61 for 1 so Somerset need to take wickets regularly if they are to stay in this one as it keeps disrupting and at the same time hopefully decreases the scoring capability of each new bat coming in.
Working on that assumption, Liv Barnes has King sweeping the first ball of the 11th, she misses the turning ball and is hitting halfway up middle-ish and it is 61 for 2 with King on her way for 21 from 29 Luus is the next one in.
The next pair look to reset and Sophie decides to give them something else to think about by introducing Lola Harris for the 14th over as they move to 79 for 2. Luff drops Monaghan off Barnes at short mid-wicket as a diving catch comes off the fingers. A life for her at 25 at 84 for 2. Not the first life given to a bat today by both sides. At 15 the score is 88 for 2 with Surrey needing another 208 for the win.
The 100 arrives 0ff exactly 100 balls in the 17th with a single off Barnes for Luus on 28 from off 27 with Monaghan at the other end with 27 from 32. Surrey are where they need to be at this point on what the commentators are calling a 'pretty blameless deck'. Lola looks to make that less satisfying in the 18th as her first ball is a full toss which Monaghan generously puts straight down the throat of Anderson towalk off with 28 from 34 at 101 for 3.
One Alice replaces another as Davidson-Richards comes out at number 5 still needing 195 to win this game in 32 overs. Sune Luus is looking to make getting there her main objective of the afternoonand by the 24th over she is pushing towards 50 which comes from a close infield misfield that allows her through for a single off Lola Harris. Her half ton comes from 46 balls at 134 for 3 with 5 fours and a six in the scoring. The new Surrey pair are still there at the halfway stage of 25 overs. Luus has moved on to 54 from 52 and Davidson-Richards has accrued 13 from her 23 .
Then we come to an over that may change the momentum of this game. The 26th is bowled by Alex Griffiths and she bowls Davidson-Richards with the first ball after drinks at 141 for 4. Beautiful full ball that came in and cleaned her up. Next in is the skipper Kira Chathli and she takes a single from her second ball. That brings the established bat Luus to the crease and she is immediately strangled down the legside with an excellent take from Jones. It is 142 for 5 as Pheobe Franklin comes to the middle with 153 needed from the seconf half of this game. Holland bowls her second with the 27th and the very new partnership get .the 150 up with 4 wides.
The fact is however, that Surrey are still up with the requirements of the win as we move into the 29th over and in that over bowled by Griffiths we give the batting side their second life as Chathli on 7 is dropped on the boundary by Ellie Anderson at 161 for 5. We HAVE to take these catches to be formidable opponents. Ellie did not even have to move for that one and she put it down.
So, at 30 (double it) Surrey are 166 for 5 with Franklin on 9 from 12 and Chathli on 7 from 16. The important aspect is the loss of 5 wickets and the run rate moving up over 6 but we have to keep the foot on the neck of this can get our of our control. Liv takes the 31st.
By the 36th both the bats have moved into the 20s and a four from Franklin off Harris' last ball brings up the 200 to move them to 202 for 5. Surrey need less than 100 now with 14 overs to get them in. They need 94 from 84 while Somerset need 5 wickets and to see the back of both of these bats. Chloe Skelton is back on for her second spell with the 37th having gone for 36 from her first 6.
By the 40th it has become dangerously close for the visitors. The Surrey captain has pushed on and is sitting on 45 from 52 with Franklin in support on 35 from 46. They both look set and we don't seem to have a bowler who can hold them at the moment. Although at 230 for 5, the ask is stil 6.6 and over with 66 off 60 balls, they don't seem in too much trouble and are going along very nicely indeed. After doing so much of the hard work they may well falter at the last hurdle unless someone can find the key to open the next lock!
A single in the 41st from Chathli off Barnes brings the skipper her 50 from 55 at 235 for 5. The 42nd starts at 237 for 5 and the balance changes again as Skelton returns changing ends having gone for 50 off her first 8. Chathli flips it around but gets a slight top edge and Bex Odgers at full run takes a superb one handed catch to sens the skipper on her way back to the dressing room at 237 for 6 for 51 from 56. This game is NOT quite over yet. Bex has hands covered in glue!!
MacDonald-Gay is the next in and is firstly off the mark with a four and then with a four and then after an exchange of singles is the next to leave for 5 when Skelton takes the second wicket in the over trapping the Surrey bat in front at 243 for 7.
With 53 left to get from 49 balls Kalea Moore arrives at the crease to try and help Pheobe Franklin rescue this chase. They reach the end of the 42nd and Live Barnes bowls the 43rd. Surrey pass 250 as Franklin sends Liv's last ball to the boundary to move to 251 and get herself to 44. Barnes bowls out at 1 for 55. The 44th is bowled by Lola Harris who finishes with 1 for 55 from her 10.
We move into the last six with Griffiths coming back on for her 8th having presently achieved figures of 3 for 35. We need Franklin walking back to the dressing room and a top edge fromher third ball which is caught by Holland provides just that. Pheobe Franklin's strong attempt to win this one for her county is over and she leaves with 46 to her name from 48 and it is 257 for 8 with 39 still needed from 33 balls with Coppack coming to the middle. Is there another twist in this game?
Well they are still there when Chloe Skelton bowls out with the 48th. Her 10 overs went for 2 for 61 and after her spell Moore is on 20 from 18 and Coppack is on 10 from 9. Surrrey need a run a ball from the last 2 overs. Griffiths will bowl the penultimate over and then Ellie Anderson will take the last. You would put your money on Surrey for this one I'm afraid.
This game continues to provide things. From the 4th ball of the 49th over, coming back for the second Moore finishes the run and immedaitely pulls up with what looks like a hamstring pull. With 7 runs needed to win, Pheobe Franklin returns to the pitch as a runner for Kalea Moore and on we go at 289 for 8.
After all the mess, Kalea Moore is pretty incapacitated to bat but is there with Franklin as a runner. Griffiths comes in, jags one back and Moore is given out LBW. She is out for 23 from 21. Gregory is in as last bat and Surrey still need 7 with 7 balls to go. it is still 289 at the end of the over
Anderson is on for the last and bowls a wide with her first, followed by Coppack hitting her first legal delivery of the over for four meaning they need 2 from 5 balls. Somerset then give away a brace of LEG BYES to lose the game with a whimper with only 2 balls to go by ONE WICKET.
An enthralling game ends with a bit of a whimper after changing hands more than once. The possible two incidents that gave the game to Surrey and almost took it away were the dropped catch by Ellie Anderson of Kira Chathli on 7 and then the superb catch by Bex Odgers to remove the same player on 51. Unfortunately the brilliance of the second did not completely erase the first and the extra 40 odd runs she got put Surrey in a place where they could chase down the total.
On such margins is cricket decided. The women finish their seasonwith a disappointing loss but can hold their heads high in the way they have competed up until the last ball in the last game. Somerset are a different unit at the end of 2026 to the one that completed 2025 and Erin Osborne very rightly said in the Spring that this was a 3 year programme. If this is the place we are in at the end of year 1 then roll on years 2 and 3.
It has been a pleasure to follow the Women's season and the next one can't come soon enough.
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Surrey and Somerset meet tomorrow and the winner will go to the semi (also at Southampton v second placed Hampshire) - though a tie would see Surrey progressing.
So it's a win or finish game for us.
There seemes to have been some errattic decisions about whether England internationals will or won't be available but we know Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean will not be in our squad (Heather Knight has been available but not present either.
The squad for tomorrow is;
Odgers, Luff, Corney, Holland, Davis, Jones, Hazell, Griffiths, Skelton, Anderson, Westley, Harris, Barnes
We are now in the realm of every game will be our last unless we win it. There are 3 games left ion this excellent season and we continue on if we are succesful and end the summer if we are not. At least we know excatly what we need to do andwe are doing it with the players who got us this far.
The game will be livestreamed by Surrey and we'll cover it here as well.
Full Preview Surrey v Somerset
Anyway we go with what we have.
Anyway, we've already done much better than Warwickshire!
This women's cricket ain't bad you know
Now can the bowlers hold the line and move Somerset on to Southampton?
Not many have made the trip but those that have done so have been well rewarded.
Magnificent batting by Sophie Luff and Niamh Holland.
Pretty decent quarter final though. The drop by Ellie Anderson of the Surrey skipper was partly balanced by that superb one handed catch by Bex Odgers but it has done for us in the end I think. Shame.
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