Yorkshire women retain county crown

Yorkshire have retained the ECB Women's County Championship title, dominating the tournament, which finished today, with five wins from five games. Yorkshire have won the title ten times in eleven years.

The side, which includes England Vice-Captain, bowler Clare Taylor, and several other players who have represented their country including Kathryn Leng, beat relegated Kent by 10 wickets in their final match to add to their wins against Berkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Surrey.

Taylor, who received her MBE for services to sport and was named Vodafone Bowler of the Series against Australia this summer, took five wickets with an economy rate of 1.72.

Yorkshire Captain Melissa Reynard, who scored the winning runs, said: "Women's cricket is strong in Yorkshire, and we're very happy to win the tournament again. The level of competition at these championships increases every year, and it's a credit to our team that the youngsters who are coming into the side are able to continue the winning ways."

England and Sussex Captain Clare Connor has led her county to promotion from Division II, and will face Yorkshire next year. Connor's side were the run-away winners of Division II, also securing a 100% record from the five games.

Middlesex have won Division III and will swap places with relegated Cheshire.

Next season sees a new county in the tournament as Durham secured victory in the ECB Emerging Counties competition to take them into the Division III.

With the increase in women and girls playing cricket, a number which has doubled in the past two years, the emergence of teams such as Durham will ensure fierce competition for places at Cambridge in the future.

Results

Final day of five-day tournament

DIVISION 1

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE V SURREY Nottingshire won by 10 wickets Surrey won the toss and batted Surrey 167 all out from 48.2 overs D Orford 46 K Lowe 4 wickets for 25 runs from 10 overs

Nottingshire 168 for 0 from 39.3 overs A Bacon 71 not out J Cassar 70 not out

KENT V YORKSHIRE Yorkshire won by 10 wickets Kent won the toss and batted

Kent 57 all out from 43.2 overs

Yorkshire 58 for 0 from 15 overs K Leng 31*

BERKSHIRE V STAFFORDSHIRE Berkshire won by 8 wickets Berkshire won the toss and fielded

Staffordshire 145 all out from 50 overs Y Craven 4 wickets for 22 runs from 10 overs

Berkshire 148 for 2 wickets from 42.4 overs A Thorose 66 I Guha 56 not out

DIVISION 2

CHESHIRE V LANCASHIRE Lancashire won by 89 runs Lancashire won the toss and batted

Lancashire 228 for 5 off 50 overs S Peters 70* V Dean 38

Cheshire 139 all out from 37.3 H Agnew 46 S White 5 wickets for 29 runs from 10 overs

DERBYSHIRE V SUSSEX Sussex won by 184 runs Derbyshire won the toss and fielded

Sussex 290 runs for 2 wickets from 50 overs R Birch 107 not out H Tiffen 132 not out

Derbyshire 106 for 4 from 50 overs S Redfern 36

HERTFORDSHIRE V SOMERSET Somerset won by 141 runs

Somerset 226 for 5 from 50 overs S Collyer 94 L Harper 61 P Knibbs 3 wickets for 57 runs off 10 overs

Hertfordshire 85 all out from 13.4 overs K Wilkins 6 wickets for 36 runs from 7 overs

DIVISON 3

HAMPSHIRE V MIDDLESEX Middlesex won by 49 runs Hampshire won the toss and fielded

Middlesex 249 for 7 wickets from 50 overs C Kaul 95 B Morgan 47 K Jester 35 A Cram 30 C Slaney 3 wickets for 45 from 9 overs

Hampshire 208 runs for 8 wickets from 50 overs K Wood 74