Ripley delight as Steelbacks Women set up second round T20 Trophy trip to Shropshire

Playing their first game in the new knockout tournament, the Steelbacks set up a second round clash at Shropshire on Sunday (May 11), after they saw off fellow Tier 3 side Norfolk by 46 runs in their first round encounter.

Against the Rapids, Bethan Robinson, Ella Phillips and Lenny Sims all claimed two wickets as the visitors were restricted to 96 for eight in their 20 overs.

The Steelbacks then eased to victory at 97 for five in 16.2 overs, with Gemma Marriott top scoring with 24 and Ameilia Kemp making 23.

"It is quite an exciting tournament due to the uncertainty," Ripley told SteelbacksTV.

"I thought it was a really professional performance from us, we started well, took early wickets and then we needed to silence their response when we went out with the bat and I thought our openers did that really well.

"Once we were out of the powerplay none down I thought we would win and it was just a case of by how many wickets, and it was a really good performance.

"Worcester never really got away from us, and keeping them under 100 I was always confident we would knock them off, but you still have to go and do it."

The win was the perfect response to the Steelbacks' four-wicket defeat to Middlesex on the Metro Bank One Day Cup Division Two, and Ripley is delighted with how things are shaping up with his newly-formed team.

"We would have probably taken three from four at the start, but it was nice to bounce back from the defeat on Saturday," said the two-time T20 Blast-winning coach.

"We have all been thrown together, myself included, and we are all from different backgrounds.

"We are not all locals, the whole structure has been changed and we have gone out and embraced that.

"It means we are getting to know each other a little bit, but there has been a nice bond and team spirit about the gang, and I am really enjoying it."

The Steelbacks will travel to Wem Cricket Club to take on Shropshire in Sunday's second round encounter, with the winners scheduled to host the winners of the clash between Leicestershire Foxes and Cheshire on Sunday, May 17.

On Saturday, a strong all-round performance from Ella Phillips wasn't enough to save Steelbacks from defeat to Middlesex in the Metro Bank Cup.

They were beaten by four wickets, failing to recover from a poor performance with the bat.

Things started well for Northants as they eased to 34 for one at the of the powerplay, but Amelia Kemp's dismissal for 22 sparked a collapse as the Steelbacks slumped to 86 for seven.

Michaela Kirk hit 24 and it was left to Phillips, with 28, and debutant Mabel Reid (29) to lift their side to 144 all out in 46.2 overs.

The visitors then made a strong start with the bat as the eased to 71 for one and 102 for two, but the Steelbacks kept plugging away.

Kemp's dismississal of Finty Trussler for 18 sparked a mini collapse, and with Phillips taking three for 40 Middlesex were reduced to 133 for six.

But it was too little too late as the visitors scrambled to 145 for six in 33.3 overs to make it three wins out of three and go the top of the table.

The Steelbacks have dropped to fifth, but are just a point behind second-placed Yorkshire.