Vipers maintained their unbeaten record in the group stages with a hard-fought victory against the South East Stars.
Saturday 19 September 2020 22:09, UK
Northern Diamonds set up a meeting with Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final with a comfortable six-wicket win over Thunder.
Diamonds suffered their first defeat of the campaign against Central Sparks in their last outing, but they bounced back in style to seal their place in next Sunday's showpiece against Southern Vipers at Edgbaston.
Thunder elected to bat but were dismissed for 143 courtesy of a disciplined Diamonds bowling performance, as Beth Langston extended her haul of wickets in the competition to 11 with impressive figures of 3-18.
Natalie Brown top-scored with 32, while opener Georgie Boyce made a patient 29, but Phoebe Graham, Katie Levick and Jenny Gunn all claimed two wickets apiece for the Diamonds.
In reply, Sterre Kalis struck her third half-century of the campaign as the Diamonds reached their target with over 20 overs remaining, to clinch their fifth win from six matches and top spot in the process.
Northern Diamonds vs Thunder scorecard
Elsewhere, Lightning completed the double over Central Sparks to finish their campaign with a 55-run victory, courtesy of a sensational career-best innings from Sarah Bryce.
Having struck four half-centuries in her previous five appearances, the 20-year-old Scotland international registered her first century of the competition, making an unbeaten 136 from 133 balls as she put the Sparks attack to the sword.
Teresa Graves made a quick-fire 65 as the pair compiled a fifth-wicket stand of 127, while Abi Freeborn chipped in with 40 as Lightning posted 303-5 from their 50 overs.
Sparks' faint hopes of challenging Diamonds for top spot were extinguished earlier in the day, but their run-chase got off to a terrific start, as Evelyn Jones and Gwenan Davies put on 104 for the opening wicket until Davies succumbed for 48.
Sparks skipper Jones led from the front with a brilliant unbeaten 115 and she was well-supported by an in-form Marie Kelly, who made a patient 37 as the Sparks moved to 176-1, but they suffered a dramatic late collapse - losing their last nine wickets for just 72 runs.
Lightning vs Central Sparks scorecard
They were eventually dismissed for 248, with Bethan Ellis taking 3-25 and captain Kathryn Bryce chipping in with 3-54. Lucy Higham and Kirstie Gordon also put the brakes on Sparks midway through the innings, and they were rewarded with two wickets apiece.
Lauren Bell enjoyed a stunning return to Southern Vipers action, claiming figures of 4-36 as the Vipers maintained their 100-per-cent record in the Southern Group ahead of next weekend's final, with a four-wicket victory over the South East Stars at the Kia Oval.
Southern Vipers vs South East Stars
The Stars were bowled out for 227 as Chloe Brewer hit 79 in just her second appearance of this year's competition, but they squandered a promising start, having been well placed at 145-3 at one stage.
Bell was the pick of Vipers' attack with 4-36 from her 10 overs, but Charlotte Taylor also impressed, taking 2-38 from her spell.
Vipers started strongly in reply as they moved to 78-1, but they soon found themselves in peril at 141-6, facing the prospect of suffering their first defeat of the season.
Dani Gregory inflicted most of the damage with figures of 3-44, but the Vipers were indebted to a sixth-wicket partnership of 72 between Carla Rudd and Emily Windsor, with Windsor finishing unbeaten on 47 and hitting the winning runs in the 48th over.
In the other clash, Georgia Hennessy produced a brilliant hundred at the Bristol County Ground as Western Storm comfortably defeated Sunrisers by 47 runs to finish on a high in the Southern Group.
Hennessy posted a season's best 105 as she shared a majestic partnership of 155 alongside Alex Griffiths, who smashed 80 from just 68 balls in an explosive cameo, which helped Storm to 288-6 from their allotted 50 overs.
Western Storm vs Sunrisers scorecard
Sunrisers enjoyed a strong start in reply as opener Cordelia Griffith struck 41, while Grace Scrivens delivered the goods with a superb innings of 72 at number eight.
However, they were denied a first win of the season as Hennessy also contributed in the field - boasting figures of 2-29, and weighing in with a catch and two run-outs, as they were bowled out for 241 from 49 overs.
