Ellis and Reid lead Glamorgan to final

Nicole Reid has now claimed 15 wickets in Glamorgan's progress to the final

Women's MetroBank One Day Cup, League 2, semi-final - Sophia Gardens

Glamorgan 209 (48.4 overs): Bethan Ellis 70; Kemp 4-34

Northants Steelbacks 148 (41.3 overs): Kirk 34; Reid 5-36

Glamorgan won by 61 runs

Match scorecard

Bethan Ellis and Nicole Reid starred for Glamorgan as they defeated Northants Steelbacks by 61 runs to reach the final of the One Day Cup, League Two.

Leg-spinner Reid claimed 5-36 in her 10-overs spell to destroy the visitors' chances as Northants were bowled out for 148 chasing 210.

Bethan Ellis top-scored with a solid 70 as she anchored Glamorgan's total of 209, while seamer Amelia Kemp (4-34) claimed key wickets at both ends of the innings.

Glamorgan will face the winners of the second semi-final between Middlesex and Yorkshire, the final set for Worcester on Sunday 14 September.

With a semi-final in the T20 Blast and a third round appearance in the T20 Cup, the Welsh county have a positive start in their preparations for pro status in 2027.

Northants can also reflect on a creditable first season after starting Tier 2 almost from scratch.

Both sides came into the match with seven wins and one defeat in the group stage, with their meeting seven days previous abandoned because of rain.

The prolific pair of Lauren Parfitt (32) and Abi Freeborn (35) got Glamorgan off to a decent start with 66 inside 15 overs before Kemp disposed of both.

Wickets fell steadily after that, with Italian international Ilenia Sims (1-35) the pick of the spinners, though Bea Ellis (34 off 34) provided some impetus in a fourth-wicket stand of 48 with her near-namesake.

Eve Jackson, the youngest member of the side at 18, contributed a lively 21 as she and Bethan Ellis took the score past 200, Ellis facing 98 balls and hitting six fours in an important knock to hold her team's effort together.

But Kemp returned to hit the stumps twice in the 47th over as Glamorgan's last four wickets subsided for just four runs to leave the Steelbacks an achievable target.

Kemp could not repeat her bowling heroics as she fell for two to Jackson, caught by Bethan Ellis, leaving the experienced pair of Chloe Hill and Michaela Kirk to start building.

Kirk soon started finding the boundary but Hill (11) became frustrated and was stumped charging at Reid's second ball.

The vital breakthrough came when Kirk, who took her season's tally to a remarkable 529, drove Reid head-high to Bethan Gammon at cover.

Reid, a 27 old old radiographer, followed up with two wickets in her next over as Gammon and Bethan Ellis claimed a second catch apiece and the Steelbacks were reeling at 59-5.

Alicia Presland (18) helped Beth Ascott stop the slide temporarily before she was bowled by Bethan Ellis, and Reid claimed her five-for when namesake Mabel pulled straight to square leg.

Ascott made 28 but when she fell lbw to Katy Cobb, that seemed to signal the realistic end of Northants' hopes.

Ella Phillips (21) and Anisha Patel (13 not out) added 33 but Gemma Porter returned to finish the match with the final two wickets.

Glamorgan spinner Nicole Reid told BBC Sport Wales:

"Whatever score we post, we tend to back our bowlers and although we wanted a few more runs we were confident going out we could defend it.

"It's nice coming on to bowl and taking a wicket straightaway, it sets you up for the rest of your spell and gives the team a confidence boost. Then Kirk was a good wicket to take and we felt good after that.

"We've put so much effort in through the winter with the training and everyone's been so committed, so getting into the final has shown that everything we've put in is worth it."

Glamorgan coach Rachel Priest added:

"Nicole Reid taking five wickets was one of the main parts, and the key wicket of Michaela Kirk which we knew was the main wicket. We didn't have as many runs as we would have liked, Bethan Ellis batted really well on a little bit of a difficult wicket.

"All semi-finals are a bit nerve-wracking, so we spoke about having those feelings, getting through them and focussing on what we could do well.

"We want to take our chances better in the final, and we need some of our batters that got starts to kick on.

"(Preparing) is about feeling good for the final, having a few throw-downs and making sure the bowlers are feeling good, the girls have done the hard work."

Northants coach David Ripley told BBC Radio Northampton:

"It's been a positive campaign overall, a lot of good individual performances shared around though I was a little disappointed today. Although we fought back well with the ball, we didn't quite give it our best go with the bat.

"It was the unknown at the start of the season but we know a lot more about it now and there's a nice bond between the girls.

"Our next stage is to have an eye on next year, to start talking to players about continuing with us and to see if there's anyone else we might be able to attract to Northamptonshire. Good times ahead, and I definitely would have taken the season we've had."