08 February 2026
A win and a narrow defeat in indoor season opener
Our Women kicked off their indoor season with a win and a narrow defeat in their opening round of games on Friday night.
Across the two games we delivered wins in 7 out of the 8 blocks.
In the first match of the night our side delivered a dominant performance to sweep all four skins in a comprehensive 139–69 victory over Kibworth. Every department clicked, securing a perfect 7-point result.
The headlines were stolen by Lauren Ellis, who was rightfully named Player of the Match for a staggering all-around display.
Ellis was untouchable with the bat, top-scoring for Sileby with 28 runs at a blistering strike rate of 233.33. She followed that up with a lethal bowling spell, bagging 4 wickets and conceding 14 runs to completely constantly check any Kibworth momentum.
Not far behind in the runs and wickets column was Emily Marriott, who produced her own masterclass with 29 runs at a strike rate of 223.08. Marriott was equally effective with the ball, claiming 2 wickets for just 3 runs to ensure we remained in total control throughout the middle periods.
The high-energy performance continued with Erin Needham, who provided a huge spark by contributing 20 runs and picking up 2 wickets while Tessa Preston (16 runs) and Molly Satterthwaite (15 runs and 1 wicket) kept the pressure relentless, ensuring Kibworth never had a moment to breathe.
Rounding out the team victory were Megan Stanier, who chipped in with 13 runs and a wicket, and Lulu Tunstall, who played her part in a disciplined bowling unit that restricted Kibworth to just 69 runs total.
This 70-run victory margin and a clean sweep of the skins gave a perfect start to the season.
It was a classic "down to the wire" thriller in the second game, as we put on a clinical display of skin dominance only to be denied by the narrowest of margins in a 102–103 aggregate heartbreaker against Market Overton in their second match of the evening.
Despite the one-run gap in the final total, we walked away with three out of the four skins, proving their depth across the blocks and securing three valuable league points.
?The highlight reel starts with Lauren Ellis, who was in devastating form from the start. She top-scored for the match with 25 runs, clocking an incredible strike rate of 227.27 to give the innings some serious early momentum.
Not far behind was Emily Marriott, whose all-around masterclass earned her a well-deserved Player of the Match nod. Marriott anchored the middle of the innings with 23 runs before turning the heat up with the ball to claim a vital wicket.
?Tessa Preston was equally influential in those high-pressure moments, tallying 18 runs and a wicket to help secure skin points. Meanwhile, Erin Needham spearheaded the bowling attack with total precision, finishing as the team’s leading wicket-taker after bagging 2 for just 7 runs.
?The team effort was rounded out by Megan Stanier and Lulu Tunstall, who both reached double figures with 12 runs each to keep the scoreboard moving through the middle periods.
While the aggregate score fell just a single run short, winning three out of four blocks shows provided three valuable league points, giving us 10 across the two matches.
