Women’s Kia Super League – Results and Reactions from all the matches today – August 28th

All the results and reactions from the final round of Women’s Kia Super League matches today……

Lancashire Thunder v Surrey Stars Blackpool CC 2:30 PM

Match Summary

Surrey Stars 132 – 1

Lancashire Thunder 97 - 7

Result - Surrey Stars won by 35 runs

Lizelle Lee and Nat Sciver smashed stunning half-centuries to fire Surrey Stars to reduced overs victory over Lancashire Thunder, by 35 runs, as the defending champions ended the Kia Super League in rip-roaring style at Blackpool.

Openers Lee and Sciver, the Stars captain, amassed a sensational 127 partnership in just two balls short of the allotted nine overs after rain prevented a start at Stanley Park until 5pm.

The Stars, unable to defend their title having only previously won two of their nine games, finished with 131 for one before the winless Thunder replied with 97 for seven, of which Australian Tahlia McGrath hit 41 off 19 balls and Hannah Jones took three wickets.

South African Lee crashed 75 off only 28 balls with 13 fours and three sixes, while England Sciver reached 50 off 26 with a boundary of the last ball of the innings from international team-mate Kate Cross.

With the Hundred replacing the KSL for next summer, this was both sides’ final game, and it included a combined total of 33 fours and nine sixes.

Lee, whose fifty came in only 17 balls in the fifth over, hit 70 of her 75 runs in boundaries, with her strike-rate of 267.85 the highest of the competition so far by some way.

Both Lee and fellow right-hander Sciver played strongly all around the innings and hardly mishit a shot. They pulled, cut and hit over the top and down the ground with great authority. 

Cross, having earlier won the toss, took the only wicket of the innings when she bowled Lee late on in the ninth over, but she conceded 42 in her two overs.

The 127 partnership is the second highest by any pair in this season’s Super League behind the 133 Western Storm openers Rachel Priest and Smriti Mandhana shared in a victory over Yorkshire at York earlier this month.

Lancashire’s hopes of finishing on a high were dashed long before the halfway mark in the game.

They finish 2019 winless, with nine defeats and a tie and have finished bottom of the table for three seasons out of four. 

In four years, they have only won six times. Five of those came last year when they narrowly missed out on Finals Day. 

But McGrath had some fun in the chase, nonetheless. 

She hit six fours and a huge six, over mid-wicket and out of the ground, in seven balls faced against seamers Eva Gary and Marizanne Kapp, taking the Thunder to 38 without loss after three overs.

But she fell to off-spinner Bryony Smith, who struck twice in the fifth over (54 for two) to remove McGrath and fellow opener Eve Jones caught at long-off.

Another off-spinner Jones then struck three in the seventh over to get Sune Luus caught at long-on by Lee - her second catch - and Indian Harmanpreet Kaur and Cross stumped, leaving the score at 71 for six.

Gray and Grace Gibbs also struck.

Lancashire captain Kate Cross

"That was pretty brutal. If an innings could sum up our Super League, we've just witnessed Lizelle have her day. Having said that, I think we had a brilliant effort in the second innings. We had to go out and not die wondering, and I thought Tahlia at the top of the order was brilliant. She hit the biggest six I've seen all tournament.

"It shows what we can do when we put our minds to it with the bat. 

"But that innings of Lizelle's was a master-class. It felt like whatever plan we had, she had an answer for.

"Couple that with Nat Sciver. We were trying to get her on strike, but she was doing exactly the same. 

"It's been very, very disappointing (Super League this season). We've not fulfilled even half of the potential I thought we would have done at the start of the tournament. But when you don't win a game in 10, it's very easy to forget how close you were in some to winning. And we took four to the last over."

Surrey captain Nat Sciver 

"I think that was worth waiting for! 

"It's a little bit bittersweet because that's what we're capable of, and we don't get to do it again - we don't get to go to Finals Day.

"But I am happy for everyone that we managed to finish it off in style.

"Any shot Lizelle tried, it came off. It was a bit scary, but you're just glad she's on your team.

"It was our first opening partnership together, so to get to that score was brilliant. 

"I didn't start off like she did, but she took the pressure off me.

"She played like that at Finals Day last year, and she's a special overseas player."

 

Southern Vipers v Loughborough Lightning, Ageas Bowl, Southampton 6:30 PM

Match Summary

Loughborough Lightning 163 - 4

Southern Vipers 127  

Result - Loughborough Lightning 163- 4 beat Southern Vipers 127 by 36 runs

Amy Jones’ superlative 74 not out helped to land Loughborough Lightning a significant mental advantage over Southern Vipers in their Kia Super League semi-final dress rehearsal.

England star Jones collected her second half-century in a row, while picking up her personal highest KSL score, in typically attractive style.

Her innings, laden with a mixture of masterful drives, delicate flicks and pure power laid the platform for a 36 run victory at the Ageas Bowl, and a momentum continuing sixth straight win. 

Spinners Sarah Glenn, Kirstie Gordon and Chamari Atapattu then kept Vipers on a leash, with a combined analysis of six for 52 to complete the win. 

The two sides will go again at Finals Day, which takes place on Sunday at Hove – with the winner of their re-match set to face Western Storm in the KSL final.

Lightning were given a rolling start, after being stuck in by Tammy Beaumont, with Tash Farrant and Issy Wong gifting seven wides in the first two overs.

Openers Jones and Atapattu took the free runs and added explosive hitting of their own to put on 75 – Loughborough’s highest opening partnership of the summer.

Wicketkeeper Jones pumped two sixes, over midwicket and straight down the ground, with her Sri Lankan partner larruping Danni Wyatt over square leg.

But Atapattu was bowled by Suzie Bates, attempting to guide the ball down to third man, before Georgia Adams followed soon after when she skied a bouncer to Beaumont at midwicket to hand teenage fast bowler Wong her maiden KSL wicket.

Jones, who reached her fifty in 43 balls, had was joined by a free-scoring Georgia Elwiss, a powerful six over cow joined by three boundaries took her to 28 off 21 balls.

She was well caught by Paige Scholfield while attempting a reverse sweep off Amanda-Jade Wellington before former Viper Mignon du Preez was lbw next ball.

But Jones, along with Jenny Gunn, added an unbroken 38 runs to take Loughborough to a commanding 163 for four – as he ended with seven boundaries and three sixes in her 53-ball 74.

Wyatt had scored 267 in her last four KSL outings to lead the run rankings but hammered her first delivery straight at Gordon at point, after drizzle had slightly prolonged the innings break.

Suzie Bates was dropped on 10 at mid-off, but her luck ran out as Jones produced quick hands to stump her off a leg-side wide from Gunn.

Vipers slipped to 42 for three at the end of the Powerplay, as Beaumont also fell when she dragged a pull to midwicket.

Lucy Higham spilt a difficult chance over her shoulder when Maia Bouchier was on five but redeemed herself was a brilliant pick-up and throw to run out the Hampshire batsman.

Wellington was moved up the order but after three boundaries she was castled by Gordon before Thea Brookes followed in an action replay – the left-armer picking up figures of two for 18.

Scholfield was caught, Farrant was lbw and Morris and Wong were bowled and as Lightning cruised to victory with an over to spare. 

Southern Vipers fast bowler Issy Wong:

“We are obviously disappointed with the result but it wasn’t our day. The emphasis is now on Sunday and taking it to them in the semi-final.

“Amy Jones is a cracking player, everyone knows that, and she batted well and has hit some form.

“I am living the dream, I have loved every second of being down here and to get that wicket topped it off.

“Tammy juggled it a bit so my heart was in my mouth but it is a cracking feeling. To finally contribute and get on the scorecard is amazing.

“Me and Lauren aren’t competitive. We are just happy for each other to play and would be buzzing for whoever players on Sunday.”

Loughborough Lightning wicketkeeper-batsman Amy Jones:

“I think it is good we won tonight. Everyone talks about momentum in competitions especially going into finals. This will definitely give us a lift.

“We will start again for the semi-final, it is a new day, but we are 1-1 with the Vipers this season.

“This game was important as Hayley and Brycey have played such a big part for us so they left big gaps to fill and it has been pleasing to have them filled. It shows the depth we have.

“Attu came to the top of the order and smashed it and took the pressure off me and it is great we have had two partnerships when we have opened together.

“It was crucial to build that platform and I worry about scoring too slowly so Attu helps.

“I am feeling pretty good. I would say I am in a similar form to the West Indies series. I feel a lot more control and have the confidence to build and innings.

“I don’t think I was out of form in the Ashes, I was hitting the ball in the nets, but I kept getting out too early. My emphasis in the KSL has been giving myself time to score runs and I think it has paid off.

“Generally when I get in I have proved I can go on and get a 50.”

Western Storm v Yorkshire Diamonds, Taunton 6:30 PM

Match Summary

Yorkshire Diamonds 104 - 4

Western Storm 99 - 3

Result - Yorkshire Diamonds won by 5 runs

Yorkshire Diamonds overseas star Jemimah Rodriguez hit a brilliant half century as Kia Super League finalists Western Storm finally surrendered their unbeaten record, losing by five runs in a rain-affected contest at the Cooper Associates Ground.

Rodriguez struck 60 from 27 balls, accrued 10 fours and 2 sixes and dominated a match-winning third-wicket stand of 79 in 45 balls with Hollie Armitage as Diamonds posted 104-4 in 10 overs after being put into bat.

Victorious in their opening nine games and desperate to retain their 100 per cent record, Storm refused to go down without a fight. Fran Wilson and Sophie Luff took the chase down to the final ball in a spirited unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 76, only for experienced seamer Beth Langston to hold her nerve in a thrilling finale.

Internationals Lauren Winfield and Alyssa Healy afforded Diamonds' innings crucial early momentum in a first over which yielded 19 runs, off spinner Claire Nicholas uncharacteristically conceding four boundaries.

But England seamer Freya Davies effected a turnaround in fortunes, removing both in the space of five balls in the second over to reduce Diamonds to 21-2. England's Winfield skied a top-edged pull to wicketkeeper Rachel Priest, who then demonstrated safe hands when Australia's Healy was hurried in the act of driving.

New batsmen Rodriguez and Armitage sought to redress the balance, staging a revitalising partnership for the third wicket. They particularly targeted off spinners Heather Knight, Deepti Sharma and Nicholas, advancing the total to a handy 55-2 at halfway.

Indian teen star Rodriguez timed the ball sweetly, smiting 2 sixes and 8 fours in raising a 21-ball 50, bringing more or less constant pressure to bear on the Storm bowlers.

Rodriguez was threatening to carry Diamonds to a truly imposing total when she finally fluffed her lines in the face of nagging line and length from Davies, miss-timing a drive and holing out to mid-off in the final over.

The only Storm bowler to escape punishment, Davies finished with admirable figures of 3-7 off two overs, frustrating Yorkshire's attempts to accelerate at the death.

Prepared to play second fiddle, Armitage proved the perfect foil to the more forthright Rodriguez, contributing 19 from 21 deliveries before being run out off the final ball.

Storm's reply was halted in its tracks as key batters Priest, Smriti Mandhana and Knight all departed inside five overs, Diamonds reducing the hosts to 23-3.

Priest never looked comfortable under the floodlights, hitting Linsey Smith to deep mid-wicket for seven to spark the slide. Mandhana chipped Leigh Kasperek to cover in the next over and Knight followed her back to the pavilion soon afterwards, dismissed in near-identical fashion to afford Diamonds all the encouragement they needed.

Charged with the unenviable task of rebuilding an innings that had stalled in it's infancy, Wilson and Luff made a decent fist of chasing. Throwing caution to the wind, the fourth wicket pair combined feverish running between the wickets and clean hitting to sow seeds of doubt in Yorkshire minds.

Needing 14 runs off the final over, Storm hopes were revived when Langston no-balled twice. But the home side were unable to take advantage of the subsequent free hits and came up agonislingly short at the death.

Wilson hit an unbeaten 45 from 20 balls, while Somerset-born Luff finished on 31 not out from 18 deliveries.

©Cricket World 2019