Southern Vipers lift curtain on Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy defence with Ageas Bowl victory over Lightning

They defeated Lightning by four wickets with 19 balls to spare in the opening round of the 2021 competition at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl, writes BRUCE TALBOT.

Despite left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon bagging 4-35, accounting for all four of the Vipers’ top order, the hosts reached their 215-run target helped by a 55-ball half-century from England international Danni Wyatt.

Earlier, Lightning had been restricted to an under-par 214-9 thanks to a zippy spell from left-arm seamer Tara Norris (3-47), who also held a good catch in the deep to see off Tammy Beaumont (57).

Vipers had initially looked easily on course in their chase, reaching 51 without loss in the opening powerplay.

However, Gordon - introduced in the 10th over - induced a miscue from last year’s leading tournament run-scorer Georgia Adams (28), and followed it up with the crucial wicket of Wyatt.

By the time she was done, Vipers had sunk to 135-4 - but the end of Gordon’s 10-over spell allowed ex-Portsmouth Grammar School pupil Charlie Dean (32) and Paige Scholfield (38 not out) breathing space to get the job done.

Lightning, having won the toss and chosen to bat, were reduced to 43-4 in the first 10 overs. Opener Sarah Bryce and South African import Michaela Kirk both departed for ducks.

Bryce fell in the very first over, caught behind slashing outside off at a Lauren Bell delivery, to a huge roar from the newly-returned crowd.

Sister Kathryn, fresh from an unbeaten 45 for Scotland against Ireland earlier in the week, fared slightly better with 13, but became the first of Norris’s three victims in the sixth over when she miscued a pull shot and was caught in the deep.

ICC no.1 ranked ODI batter Beaumont did her best to anchor the innings, sharing a 59-run partnership with Lucy Higham (32) and bringing up an 86-ball half-century in the 32nd over.

However, she holed out to Norris at deep backward square leg two overs later and while a 34-run partnership between sisters Teresa and Yvonne Graves at the back end of the innings allowed Lightning to clock up just over 200, it proved insufficient on a good wicket.

Norris finished with 3-47 from her 10 overs and Dean took 2-52.

Reflecting on the win, Adams admitted: ‘We said as a team that we knew people would come after us hard. We’re the team to beat, so we’re chuffed to get a win at home.

‘It shows the depth we have as a young side that we can still go out and win without delivering our A game.

‘Tara Norris is in such good form, she’s keeping it simple and bowling at the stumps and getting rewarded for it. Her work ethic is faultless, she puts in all the hard yards and she really has pushed herself this winter.’

Lightning opener Beaumont added: ‘We were probably 30 or 40 runs short and it’s always hard to win games of cricket when you’re 40 for four.

‘It’s disappointing, but it was a pretty good run out against last year’s champions. It was a really good fight from the girls - it wasn’t the best start with the bat or the ball, but to take it that deep was really impressive.’

Vipers are back in action on Bank Holiday Monday against South East Stars at Beckenham.

Stars began their RHF Trophy campaign with a 135-run hammering of Sunrisers at Chelmsford helped by a century from England’s Sophia Dunkley.

Dunkley struck 13 boundaries in her unbeaten 104 from 93 balls as Stars rattled up 324-7 off their 50 overs.

Tash Farrent claimed 5-33 off eight overs as Sunrisers were dismissed for 189 in reply.