Havant’s Charlie Dean hits unbeaten half-century as Southern Vipers claim another Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy success

The 19-year-old former Portsmouth Grammar School pupil struck an unbeaten 60 off 70 balls as the Vipers rattled up 261-7 from their 50 overs against Western Storm in a South group encounter in Bristol.

Heather Knight and Sophie Luff threatened to make light work of Storm’s run chase when scoring 67 and 60 respectively in a century partnership for the second wicket.

But they then suffered a dramatic collapse, losing seven wickets for 31 runs in 11 overs and eventually being all out for 239.

Tara Norris claimed 4-45 in eight overs as Vipers ended up winning the high calibre encounter by 22.

Put into bat, Vipers openers Georgia Adams and Danni Wyatt also scored half-centuries.

Having posted a match-winning opening stand of 111 in Saturday's seven-wicket triumph over Sunriders, Adams and Wyatt picked up where they left off to provide Vipers with the perfect start.

They staged an assured alliance of 105 in 19.4 overs on a surface that held few demons for batsmen.

Taking advantage of the fielding restrictions and some wayward bowling, these two proved adept at rotating the strike, running hard between the wickets and scoring primarily behind square to plunder 90 runs from the first 15 overs.

England one-day star Wyatt established herself as the senior partner, taking few risks in cutting and pulling her way to a 54-ball half century which included half a dozen boundaries. Adams realised the same landmark from 70 balls as runs came easily against a Storm attack that lacked express pace and penetration.

After the openers were dismissed, Dean remained unperturbed by the fall of wickets at the other end, putting fielders under pressure with clever placement and hard running to haul the visitors to respectability - and eventually to victory.

Vipers’ third game is against South East Stars at Hove this Saturday.