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74 for Sophie but Hampshire go top
Hampshire moved back to the top of the Metro Bank One Day Cup table after overcoming Somerset by 31 runs (DLS method) at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Both teams went into the match knowing that the winner would finish the day at the summit, but despite a spirited knock from Sophie Luff, it was the visitors who prevailed with three overs to spare.
Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat.
Somerset made one change from the side that faced Surrey on Sunday, with Mollie Robbins coming into the starting XI and she opened up with maiden over from the Trescothick Pavilion End.
After Robbins set the tone, Ellie Anderson made the initial breakthrough for the hosts when she bowled Ella McCaughan (9) with an absolute beauty to leave Hampshire on 23 for one.
However, Maia Bouchier and Charli Knott began the rebuild and at the end of the 10-over powerplay the visitors had reached 44. The Hampshire 50 arrived shortly thereafter, in the 11th over.
Somerset turned to spin at both ends in the form of Amanda Jade Wellington and Charlie Dean, and it was the Australian who made the breakthrough, as she often does, when Bouchier chipped her straight to Alex Griffiths at mid-wicket at 69 for two.
Hampshire’s 100 arrived in the 23rd over, and by the halfway stage the score was 107 for two.
Knott and Grace Adams were looking well set and had shared a third wicket partnership of 40 but the latter fell for 14 after being run out at the non strikers end. Knott drove Griffith back down the ground only for the Somerset bowler to get a finger to the ball which cannoned into the stumps leaving Adams high and dry at 109 for three.
Knott’s 50 arrived from 79 balls but she was dismissed for 64 when she looked to attack Chloe Skelton. The Hampshire opener came down the track but miscued high into the Taunton sky. The ball eventually dropped into the hands of the backpedaling Sophie Luff who hung on at the second attempt. At this point, the visitors were 151 for four in the 37th over.
That became 175 for five when Abi Norgrove was run out when she unwisely took on Griffith’s arm. Skelton then produced the delivery of the match to remove Nancy Harman, the ball spinning back in sharply to bamboozle the Hampshire number seven and leave the visitors on 185 for six in the 44th over.
There then followed something of a collapse as the final four wickets fell for just 28 runs.
Firstly, Linsey Smith (6), who had been dropped when she had one run to her name, didn’t enjoy a long reprieve as she drove Griffiths straight to Anderson. Rhianna Southby (46), who had batted impressively throughout her innings, was then bowled by Dean.
Freya Davies (8) launched Griffiths to Skelton on the boundary, where the catcher milked the adoration of the hundreds of school children situated in the Somerset Stand.
When Bex Tyson was run out by Luff off the last delivery of the match Hampshire were all out for 213.
The Somerset openers, Emma Corney and Heather Knight shared an opening stand of 24 before Corney (15) was bowled by Davies which brought Luff to the crease.
The Somerset skipper and Knight took their side to 50 in the 12th over, but after the addition of just one further run to the total Knight was run out for 23 courtesy of a good pick up and throw on the run from Bouchier.
Unfortunately for the home side, 51 for two soon became 60 for three when Fran Wilson drove Smith straight to Bouchier at cover, and when Dean was caught at deep square leg by Daisy Gibb off Tyson it was looking bleak at 63 for four.
Katie Jones (9) was lbw to Knott at 80 for five in the 25th over, Griffiths (5) chipped straight back to Adams, and when Wellington (13) was caught on the boundary the hosts were 102 for seven in the 29th over.
It was at this point that the heavens opened and torrential rain drove the players from the field. After a 25 minute delay, the match resumed with Somerset chasing the same target of 214 but from one over fewer.
Shortly after the resumption, Skelton (2) drove Adams to Bouchier at silly mid on at 110 for eight. However, Luff continued to chip away at the Hampshire lead and reached 50 from 83 balls. The 50 partnership between her and Anderson arrived from 54 balls and the pair got Somerset right back into the game, which at one point had seem beyond them.
Unfortunately for the hosts, the mini revival ended when Anderson (28) departed, pulling Tyson to Bouchier at mid wicket. The partnership had been worth 69 and had given Somerset genuine hope.
Luff was eventually the last wicket to fall when she was bowled by Adams for 74 as Hampshire returned to the top of the standings.
