Northamptonshire Steelbacks Women were downed by Leicestershire Foxes Women as they beat the visitors by 68 runs at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
Leicestershire Foxes won the toss and decided to bat first at a sunny Grace Road, with the pitch being the same as the one that Leicestershire’s men used in their recent County Championship fixture.
It was the ideal start for the Steelbacks as Carpenter struck fourth ball, with Brooker chopping one onto her stumps.
The Foxes struck back after the early loss of their opener as Sweet and Hughes amassed a 55-run partnership before the latter was bowled by a brilliant Amelia Kemp delivery.
At the halfway stage, the Foxes were in a strong position at 75/2 but Patel came into the attack and immediately struck as she bowled Weston for 15 with her first ball.
Patel also picked up a wicket in her second over as the dangerous looking Sweet cut one to Abby Butcher on 35.
A 46-run partnership from 35 balls between Watson and Davies propelled the Foxes to 140/4 with two overs to play.
Two wickets fell in the final two overs, with Michaela Kirk taking a spectacular catch on the boundary on the penultimate ball of the innings but the Foxes ended with a strong total of 153/6.
In reply, the Steelbacks stuttered early on with the Captain Gemma Marriott bowled first ball and Kirk also falling in the following over.
Just as a partnership looked to be forming between Kemp and Howarth, the latter was run out in the final over of the powerplay.
After being 32/3 after six overs, the Steelbacks struggled to gain any momentum and wickets continued to tumble, with the side falling to 46/6 at the halfway stage of their innings.
With the rate pushing over 12 an over, wickets fell and the Steelbacks finished 85 all out in the 18th over, losing by 68 runs.
The side are back in action on Sunday where they face Yorkshire Women at Peterborough Town CC. Entry is free for all spectators.