Sophie leads Somerset to victory at Surrey
Sophie Luff continued her impressive Vitality Blast form with a career-best 82 not out from 53 balls to lead her side to victory over defending champions Surrey at the Kia Oval.
Luff’s imperious innings, her third half-century in four games and Somerset’s highest individual T20 score of the Tier 1 era, dug Somerset out of trouble at 59 for four and carried them to a victory that takes them level with Surrey at the top of the table.
Left-arm spinner Liv Barnes (three for 21) reduced Surrey to 60 for four before Jemima Spence’s maiden T20 half-century, an unbeaten 51 from 35, spearheaded their recovery to 153 for five.
But, despite career-best figures of three for 24 by seamer Alice Monaghan, Surrey were unable to dislodge Luff and subsided to their first defeat of the competition.
Put in after losing the toss, Surrey struggled in the powerplay overs as Barnes removed Kira Chathli leg before with her first ball and then had Bryony Smith caught behind attempting to cut.
Paige Scholfield (28 from 21) provided the innings with some impetus, slamming successive leg-side fours off Chloe Skelton only to be undone by Niamh Holland’s opening delivery – which veered back to flatten leg stump.
Barnes struck a third time, with Laura Harris lbw attempting to sweep and it was down to Alice Davidson-Richards (24 from 33) to supervise Surrey’s reset as she and Spence added 49 from 45.
Spence, given a life on 12 when she was dropped at deep midwicket, took advantage by scooping Skelton to the boundary and driving her next ball over the top for six as Surrey plundered 21 from the penultimate over.
With Monaghan using up just seven deliveries to post an unbeaten 20, Spence steered Surrey past 150 with the same straight-driven four that raised her half-century, although the visitors regained some momentum when they launched their pursuit.
A series of boundaries by Bex Odgers (17 from 10) took Somerset to 28 inside three overs, but they then lost three quick wickets as Monaghan had her caught behind and unseated Holland with a beauty that took off stump.
With Anika Learoyd caught at cover off Bethan Miles – who then switched ends to prise out Katie Jones with a miscued sweep – pressure weighed heavily on Luff’s shoulders and the captain responded by drilling Dani Gregory for the first six of the innings.
Luff continued to score freely against both pace and spin, keeping Somerset up with the required rate despite continuing to shed partners and swept Kalea Moore to the rope to bring up her 50.
Somerset just needed someone to stay with Luff and Skelton (11 from 17) filled that role capably until the penultimate over, when Ryana MacDonald-Gay had her caught at cover with 13 still needed.
But the pair had already done enough and Ruby Davis paddled Smith for successive fours to seal Somerset’s win with three balls to spare.
After the match, Sophie said: “It’s massive, any time we beat Surrey is a big win for us. They’re a very good outfit so to come to their home patch and turn them over, we should be very proud of that.
“I felt Surrey were under par, we bowled pretty well and Liv Barnes in particular was outstanding, bowling two overs in the powerplay and picking up key wickets for us – she had a great day.
“You can’t beat the feeling of hitting a hundred but in T20 cricket, that is definitely my best innings. I’ve been playing with a slightly different role this year but I just stay true to what’s been successful for me and partnerships with Alex Griffiths and Chloe Skelton at the end allowed me to play the way I wanted to.
“My mantra is trying to put bowlers under pressure, get that boundary early in the over especially when the rate’s around eight. We were always in control, it never got away from us and I knew if I was there at the end we’d have a good chance.”
