Surrey and Essex went toe-to-toe in a thrilling quarter-final of the Women’s T20 Blast. That exhilarating contest concluded in a dead heat, as calculated by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern formula. Meanwhile, Hampshire Hawks celebrated a significant victory over Somerset, keeping their hopes alive for a top-three finish in the tournament.
Surrey, the defending champions, had a good enough innings too, posting 159 runs for five wickets in their 20 overs. Things looked to have taken a dramatic turn in that match, as Essex needed two runs off the final ball to take the victory. Jo Gardner was run out on the last ball, that’s what caused the tie. This disappointing result left both teams feeling like losers and winners on that day. The game featured a display of top-class talent on both sides, but Gardner’s unfortunate sending off, most importantly, settled the match.
In other news, Hampshire Hawks pulled off a big upset victory over the Somerset Pigs. Rhianna Southby impressed on her debut, becoming Hampshire’s highest scorer with a brisk 58, adding useful partnerships throughout. Somerset’s Fran Wilson put up an exhilarating fight, hammering 55 from only 32 balls. The match reached its climax when Freya Kemp hit a six off the second ball of the final over, sealing a vital victory for Hampshire.
Hampshire’s victory carries big implications for their position atop the league standings. They are in the mix, going for that third position with Warwickshire Bears who sit in third place as it stands flanking top of the table teams. The Hawks now find themselves only seven points behind their previous league rivals, the Bears. Their passion is sure to help them maintain their momentum as the tournament progresses.
In the other matches, Lancashire Thunder maintained their winning run with a seven-wicket victory over Warwickshire Bears. Emma Lamb scored 60 not out and was a big part of this victory. This victory underlined Lancashire’s early season superiority and increased the weight of expectation on those occupying the top three spots.
Durham was quite unlucky for their next match as it was abandoned due to rain against The Blaze. Consequently, each team walked away with a point. Despite the interruption, The Blaze remains level at the top with Surrey, intensifying the competition as the season advances.
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