Defeat at Yorkshire despite century for Anika
A century from Anika Learoyd couldn’t prevent Somerset from suffering defeat at Headingley as Yorkshire’s Lauren Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis equalled a world record for the highest fourth-wicket partnership in women’s T20 history as their 167 helped their side to an 11-run victory.
Captain Winfield-Hill hit a career best 99 off 55 balls and Netherlands star Kalis 84 not out off 50 as Yorkshire totalled 210 for four, the highest total by any team in this year’s Blast.
Somerset started their chase well, but their task was too tall. Learoyd top-scored with a superb career best 103 not out off 49 balls including four sixes. But England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn impressed for Yorkshire with two for 30 in Somerset’s 199 for five.
This fourth defeat in nine games dents Somerset’s Finals Day ambitions. Yorkshire had lost seven of their previous eight.
Erin Thomas top-edged a skied return catch to Alex Griffiths six balls into a contest played on a batter’s dream surface.
Maddie Russell then had Ami Campbell caught at cover and Jess Jonassen at point, with Yorkshire – they had been 18 for three – reaching the end of the powerplay at 42 for three.
Winfield-Hill and Kalis quickly got going.
The former swept back-to-back boundaries off Lola Harris’s leg-spin in the 10th over to move into the forties, and the score reached 82 for three at halfway.
Winfield-Hill reached a 31-ball fifty shortly afterwards and also faced two head-high full tosses from Niamh Holland, who was removed from Somerset’s attack having bowled only nine balls.
Winfield-Hill had been dropped not long before reaching her fifty – and when similarly classy Kalis reached hers off 33 balls, Yorkshire were flying at 153 for three in the 16th.
Somerset were put under the cosh as the pair hit 34 boundaries between them, with Winfield-Hill falling agonisingly short of a maiden century when she miscued to backward point to hand Russell a late third wicket.
Surprisingly, it was Bex Odgers who hit the first six of the match when she pulled Hannah Rainey over deep backward square-leg as 12 came from the first over of the Somerset chase.
Odgers pulled another off Rainey as Somerset reached the end of the powerplay at 61 for one, losing captain Sophie Luff to Jess Woolston’s seam.
Odgers made it to 39 before being trapped lbw by Glenn with the score on 81 in the ninth over.
Learoyd played nicely and pulled Woolston for six over midwicket en-route to her 27-ball fifty, by which time Somerset were 129 for two after 13, needing 82 more.
Glenn bowled a brilliant 15th over, conceding only three and bowling Holland. And at 140 for three, despite Learoyd’s presence on 57, it felt key.
So it proved, Somerset even retired Griffiths out on three before Learoyd reached her century off 48 balls as Jonassen defended 32 off the last over.
At the end of the dramatic match, Learoyd said: “It was pretty gutting to be honest. I think we probably let them get about 30 too many with the bat. Credit to Lauren Winfield-Hill, I thought that was an outstanding innings. I really thought we were right in that up until the 17th over, but then they took the game away from us.
“I’ve been waiting for a while for my T20 game to click, and it did today. It doesn’t mean to say it will stay clicked, but that’s a slight positive I can take out of today. I’m not someone who studies the table too well, so I’ll wait to be told exactly what the equation is for us. But I know a win today certainly would have bolstered our hopes.”
Highlights to follow
