Leaders Surrey bag fourth straight win, over Western Storm, as Vipers defeat rock-bottom Lancashire Thunder
Wednesday 23 August 2017 17:32, UK
Surrey Stars and defending champions Southern Vipers have secured spots at Kia Super League Finals Day on September 1.
Surrey beat Western Storm by 52 runs on Wednesday to earn a fourth straight victory, with Vipers rebounding from their defeat to Stars over the weekend with a six-wicket win against Lancashire Thunder.
South African Lizelle Lee smashed 72 from 44 balls for Surrey at The Oval after opening partner, England World Cup winner Tammy Beaumont (0), was pinned lbw by Claire Nicholas (3-20) from the first ball of the match.
Lee thrashed six sixes and seven fours in her knock to lift the unbeaten Stars to 169-6, compatriot Marizanne Kapp adding 48 and skipper Natalie Sciver hitting 30 from 19 deliveries.
Surrey's total proved beyond Storm who were dismissed for 117, despite a 59-run stand between Georgia Hennessy and Alice MacLeod for the sixth wicket, as Sciver and Alex Hartley nabbed three wickets apiece.
Charlotte Edwards' Vipers, meanwhile, skittled Thunder for 87 at in Liverpool, with Linsey Smith bagging three wickets and Hayley Matthews shipping only seven runs from her four overs.
Thunder, who sit bottom of the table having lost each of their four games, were 10-4 inside four overs, with Smith accounting for three of the top four, including Amy Satterthwaite for a duck.
Lancashire captain Danielle Hazell scored 37 but Jess Jonassen (11) and Kate Cross (19) were the only other players to reach double figures.
Vipers encountered a wobble, slipping to 7-2 and 41-4 but Danni Wyatt's unbeaten 46 from 29 balls eased the away side home in the 15th over.
The final round of group games takes place on Saturday, with Surrey hosting Loughborough Lightning, Vipers welcoming Yorkshire Diamonds, and Storm entertaining Thunder.
Diamonds and Storm, locked on eight points, and Lightning, three points further back, can earn the last spot at Finals Day, at which the second and third-placed sides will battle for the right to face the league leaders in the final.
