Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at the Ageas Bowl
Southern Vipers 233-9 beat Sunrisers 222-8 by 11 runs
Charlie Dean returned from England duty to claim three wickets as two-time winners Southern Vipers professionally remained unbeaten in this year’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Off-spinner Dean was the leading wicket-taker in the recent WODI series against South Africa and brought that form to the Ageas Bowl with a tight three for 31.
Georgia Elwiss also picked up two for 50 as the ruthless Vipers turned python to strangle winless Sunrisers to an 11-run defeat, despite Cordelia Griffith maintaining her form with 65.
Earlier, Kate Coppack claimed four for 48, after a seven-over opening spell of four for 37, to leave Vipers 38 for five inside nine overs. But Paige Scholfield and Chloe Hill’s maiden half-centuries at this level resuscitated the hosts to a defendable 233.
Vipers have got themselves into a pickle a few times this season. They were 35 for three and 74 for four, against South East Stars before clocking up 306, and against Thunder, they lost three wickets for two runs, albeit after a 153-run opening stand.
So, when Coppack had quaffed the top order with a relentlessly accurate four for 37 to leave Vipers 38 for five, having chosen to bat first, there wouldn’t have been the cataclysmic worries that other teams would have faced.
Mady Villiers was the first to strike when she had Georgia Adams lbw when trying to work the ball into the legside. Then Coppack, raised in Cheshire and with international wickets for Peru, flung into action.
The fast bowler only had four wickets in her first eight Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy appearances but had Dean leg before in her third over before bowling former international Georgia Elwiss through the gate.
Scholfield may have scythed the hat-trick ball to point but Ella McCaughan chipped to midwicket and Emily Windsor flashed a drive to slip to give Coppack her third and fourth.
The inevitable recovery came in the form of a 105-run stand between Scholfield and Hill. The former took a punchy attacking route out of the collapse by pummelling the short boundary with flicks and cuts.
There were moments of style, most notably a glorious cover drive early on and a slog sweep off Grace Scrivens. A swept six off a full toss was also included on her way to a 42-ball fifty.
Hill, on loan from Central Sparks, was less dapper, but her stickability complemented Scholfield. Her own half-century came in a sedate 103 deliveries, with five either straight or pulled boundaries coming in her 55.
After Scholfield holed out to deep midwicket for 74, Tara Norris joined Hill for a 51-run stand. The USA international was run out trying to get Hill to her milestone, with Hill and Lauren Bell dismissed before the 50-overs were up.
Sunrisers steadfastly refused to take risks in the chase and therefore the modest rate got away from them – as proved with only 28 runs coming in the first 10 overs.
Griffith, on the back of 74 against Western Storm, was unflappable in the 74 balls needed to reach back-to-back fifties. Naomi Dattani’s 34 only included a pair of boundaries but plentiful nudges, with 74 added with Griffith.
