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Defeat for Somerset at Taunton Vale
The loss of early wickets cost Somerset as they fell to a 44-run (DLS) defeat to The Blaze in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Taunton Vale Sports Club.
Sophie Luff won the toss and elected to field.
Wet weather in Taunton meant that the match was reduced to 33 overs per side and the visitors started strongly as the seven-over powerplay yielded 61 runs.
Georgie Boyce and Sarah Bryce saw off the Somerset seamers and the home side turned to spin in the form of Charlie Dean and Amanda Jade Wellington.
The Blaze opening pair went on to share a stand of 76 before Boyce (31) chipped Dean straight to Wellington in the 10th over.
Sarah Bryce went to 50 from just 40 balls with 40 of those runs coming from boundaries, and the Blaze 100 arrived after 14 overs. She went on to make 68 from 54 before she was bowled by Chloe Skelton at 122 for two in the 18th.
Kathryn Bryce and Orla Prendergast brought up the 150 in the 22nd over and their partnership was worth 73 when Prendergast top edged a short one from Wellington and was caught by Ellie Anderson. Her 46 runs came from just 31 balls.
The scoreboard ticked over to 200 after 27 overs but four balls and four runs later Georgia Elwiss was bowled by an absolute beauty from Dean.
Dean then trapped Ella Claridge (0) lbw at 212 for five but Kathryn Bryce moved to her half century from 52 deliveries as The Blaze continued to keep the score ticking over.
Michaela Kirk looked to dispatch Alex Griffiths into the on side but top edged to Anderson, departing for 17 off 10 balls as The Blaze finished on 252 for six.
Kathryn Bryce finished unbeaten on 63 whilst Dean was the pick of the Somerset attack, finishing with three for 50.
The Somerset reply saw five runs come off the opening over before rain drove the players from the field. When play finally resumed, Somerset were chasing a revised total of 214 from 26 overs.
Unfortunately for the hosts, the first ball after the resumption saw Bex Odgers (1) pick out Kathryn Bryce at mid wicket off Cassidy McCarthy.
Niamh Holland (4) then edged Grace Ballinger behind to leave Somerset on seven for two.
McCarthy then claimed two wickets in two balls when she bowled Luff (1) and Dani Gibson (0). Dean survived the hat trick ball but the home side had slipped to nine for four which became 22 for five in the seventh over when Dean found Kirk on the boundary off Kirstie Gordon.
Fran Wilson and Wellington brought up the 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket arrived from 33 balls.
Wellington smashed 20 off the 12th over, bowled by Prendergast but the partnership was broken at the 69 mark when Wilson ramped Elwiss to Ballinger and had to depart for 33 at 91 for six in the 13th.
Wellington brought up her personal half century from 26 deliveries but she was run out for 53 with the score on 97.
The Somerset 100 came off the fourth ball of the 15th over but Chloe Skelton was bowled by Lucy Higham for five at 113 for eight.
Alex Griffiths (28 from 23) and Anderson (27 from 16) gave Somerset hope late on but it was a case of too little too late.
