Southern Vipers await in Kia Super League title-deciding match
Sunday 21 August 2016 15:35, UK
Heather Knight set up a Kia Super League final showdown with Charlotte Edwards, her predecessor as England captain, by steering Western Storm to a five-wicket win over Loughborough Lightning in the Kia Super League semi-final.
Knight struck 52 off 43 balls to all but see her side home after Stafanie Taylor's 3-31 had helped restrict Lightning to 124-7 off their 20 overs despite a brilliant, unbeaten 64 from Ellyse Perry.
Australian Perry struck seven fours and two sixes off 48 balls to rally her side from 22-2 after openers Dane van Niekerk (14) and Georgia Elwiss (six) fell in the space of one run.
Sophie Devine contributed 21 to a third-wicket stand of 58 with Perry before the four wickets, including two run outs, fell for 19 runs.
Storm suffered an early setback in their chase when Rachel Priest was bowled by Van Niekerk for just four but Knight steadied the ship with a second-wicket stand of 57 with Taylor, who struck a measured 34 off 44 deliveries.
At 117-2 Storm seemed to be cruising to victory only for Perry to pull off a stunning catch on the boundary to remove Fran Wilson (23 off 21) and then trap Lizelle Lee lbw with the scores level.
When Knight picked out Sonia Odedra for no further addition, Storm still needed one to win off four balls but Georgia Hennessy wasted little time sealing victory by striking the very next delivery, a Devine full toss, for four.
