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Nail-biter ends in defeat for Somerset
Ailsa Lister held her nerve to stage a match-winning innings of 28 not out from 19 balls as Lancashire Thunder beat Somerset by four wickets in a thrilling Vitality Blast contest at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.
Chasing 133 to win, Thunder looked to be cruising when Emma Lamb and Eve Jones put together an opening stand of 60. But Somerset fought back, Charlie Dean claiming 4 for nine to threaten a startling turnaround in fortunes.
Needing eight off the final over, Lister edged Alex Griffiths for four through fine leg and then hit the winning runs with two balls to spare to see the northern county home by the skin of their teeth.
Lancashire’s decision to bowl first paid dividends, Kate Cross claiming three for 21 and Sophie Morris two for 33 to restrict the home side to 132 for seven from their 20 overs.
In trouble at 85 for six, Somerset were indebted to the seventh wicket pair of Amanda-Jade Wellington and Griffiths, who staged an exciting and skillful stand of 45.
Put into bat and missing injured England stars Heather Knight and Dani Gibson, Somerset made an inauspicious start, Amelie Munday bowled without scoring by Cross, and Bex Odgers being stumped by Ellie Threlkeld off the bowling of Sophie Morris for 18 as the home side slipped to 26 for two in the seventh.
Fran Wilson suggested a change in the balance of power, helping herself to a brace of boundaries at the expense of Morris to rouse an audience of more than 2000. However, Niamh Holland payed the price for hesitation and was run out for 10 with the score on 45 for three.
Charged with the task of rescuing a parlous situation, the experienced pair of Wilson and Sophie Luff combined deft placement and quick running to breathe new life into Somerset’s innings, the fourth wicket pair adding 24 from 20 balls. However, when Wilson was bowled by Sophie Morris for 25, Somerset were 69 for four with work still to do. Worse followed, influential captain Luff sending a leading edge to extra cover off the bowling of Tara Norris and Charlie Dean attempting to ramp a Cross bouncer and offering a catch behind as Somerset slipped to 85 for six in the sixteenth.
Attempting to break the stranglehold, the hard-hitting Wellington plundered 25 from 14 balls, including five boundaries, to put the Lancashire bowling under pressure for the first time. Encouraged by the success of her partner, Griffiths opened her shoulders in raising 27 from 18 balls as the seventh wicket alliance yielded 45 crucial runs in 4.3 overs at the death.
The Lancashire reply was afforded early impetus, Jones and Lamb raising 50 in 6.4 overs to set the tone.
The partnership was worth 60 when Jones, having scored 28, was pinned lbw by Dean in the ninth over. Lamb then went for 32 in the next over, held at short fine leg by Mollie Robbins off the bowing of Ellie Anderson to give Somerset a glimmer of hope. When Wellington induced Seren Smale to hole out to Dean at long-off for 11 in the fourteenth over, Thunder were 91 for three, requiring a further 42 to win off 39 balls.
Dean bowled Threlkeld for one with the score 96 for four, at which point the game was in the balance. However, Lister calmed any nerves, hoisting Griffiths for sixes over long-on and mid-wicket in the eighteenth to put Thunder back in the box seat.
Dean was still not done, bowling Fi Morris for 22 and then having Alana King held at point without scoring to leave Thunder needing eight off the final over. Lister then demonstrated nerves of steel to settle the issue.
