Niamh Holland struck her highest rating within the Vitality Blast to finish Somerset’s shedding streak with a two-wicket victory over Essex and preserve their slim hopes of securing a spot at Finals Day.
The 21-year-old all-rounder, who featured in England A’s current 50-over sequence in opposition to India, held her nerve after a late flurry of wickets to squeeze Somerset over the road at Chelmsford with an excellent undefeated 92 from 54 balls.
Essex, who wanted a win to maintain their very own qualification possibilities alive, seemed on the right track for a commanding whole after captain Grace Scrivens (73 from 51) and Sophia Smale (43 from 29) guided them to 142-1.
However they misplaced their manner after shedding three wickets in as many deliveries, with Somerset seamer Erin Vukusic taking 3-31 to limit their opponents to 177-5.
Anneke Bosch, whose unbeaten 84 had sealed Essex’s takedown of Surrey two days earlier, gave the impression to be using that wave with 18 from 11 after Somerset received the toss and put their hosts in.
Though Vukusic foxed Bosch with a slower supply that she skied to level, it didn’t derail Essex’s momentum as Scrivens carved a string of off-side boundaries and in addition swept Holland to the fence to cross her 50.
Somerset squandered alternatives to take away the left-hander, with Maddie Russell and Sophie Luff each spilling miscues behind sq. and Smale weighed in with some revolutionary strokes and highly effective straight hitting because the pair added 99 from 60.
However a crew hat-trick, with the wily Vukusic dismissing Smale earlier than spinner Chloe Skelton – whose first two overs had price 26 – prised out Scrivens and Liberty Heap in successive balls, dashed Essex’s hopes of getting close to 200.
They picked up once more via Jo Gardner’s vigorous 19 from 18 earlier than Vukusic had her caught within the deep, closing out the innings with a disciplined dying over to supply Somerset with momentum initially of their chase.
Sophie Munro initially wrested that again within the house aspect’s favour, eradicating Bex Odgers with a first-ball outswinger after which claiming the important thing wicket of Luff, taken at long-on after a juggling act by Bryony Gillgrass.
The in-form Abi Learoyd stored the scoreboard transferring alongside, punishing something brief and capitalising on the powerplay fielding restrictions as she bustled to 35 from 23, solely to be castled by Eva Grey.
Holland took up the baton, pulling Smale to the rope after which giving Scrivens the cost, with three successive boundaries bringing her 17 in an over to power the required run-rate down under eight.
A reduce for 4 off Smale took Holland to a 28-ball half-century and Somerset’s solely real concern was retaining wickets intact, with 4 falling in fast succession to the spectacular Esmae MacGregor (4-26).
However, with seven wanted from the ultimate over, it was not sufficient for MacGregor to defend and Holland squirted the penultimate supply for 2 to seal a tense win.
Report provided by ECB Reporters’ Community.
