Women Secure Victory at Edgbaston
Somerset lodged their first win of the 2026 Women’s Vitality Blast with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston.
The Bears were left nursing successive defeats at the start of the Blast campaign after choosing to bat but coming in well under par at 166 for nine. Meg Austin made 41 (29 balls) but two run outs added to some careless batting against an attack led by Erin Vukusic (three for 32).
Somerset eased to 167 for three from 18.2 overs in reply thanks to Anika Learoyd (60 not out, 49 – her second half century in successive games) and Sophie Luff (58, 33).
Warwickshire started briskly as openers Austin and Abi Freeborn scored 34 from the first three overs. Freeborn chipped Olivia Barnes’ first ball to extra cover but Georgia Redmayne pulled her first ball for four and added 47 in 34 balls with Austin before they were parted by a running mix up. Austin set off for a second run that was absolutely there but was left stranded as her partner stayed put.
Redmayne (30, 23) perished 12 balls later when she was yorked by Niamh Holland. Amu Surenkumar (28, 20) struck the day’s first six, a glorious smite over long off off Lola Harris, but then lifted Vukusic to long on.
Another disagreement over a second run did for Nat Wraith and the innings struggled for late momentum against Holland (two for 23) and Vukusic who hit back impressively after conceding 17 in the game’s first over.
Somerset’s reply began with a double reprieve. From the first ball of the innings, from Alexa Stonehouse, Rebecca Odgers was dropped by Surenkumar at point. From the second, Luff was caught at extra cover off a no ball. Odgers didn’t get much further before lifting Phoebe Brett’s second ball to mid on but Luff was in imperious form. Picking the gaps beautifully in the powerplay, she charged to a 27-ball half-century and with Learoyd, eased her side into control with a stand of 84 in 51 balls.
Luff was bowled, reverse-sweeping, by Georgia Davis but Holland settled in alongside Learoyd in a stand of 35 in 21 balls which took their side to the threshold of victory. Learoyd, having reached 50 from 40 balls, saw them over it with ten balls to spare.
Images courtesy of Jack Rubio
