Georgia Elwiss scores century and then holds nerve with the ball in the final over as Southern Vipers beat Sunrisers by one run in Chelmsford thriller; Vipers, Northern Diamonds and Central Sparks secure top-three finishes ahead of next Saturday's final round of group games
Sunday 12 September 2021 19:13, UK
Georgia Elwiss struck a superb century and then held her nerve at the death wih the ball as Southern Vipers pipped Sunrisers by one run to confirm a place in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy knockouts.
Elwiss scored an unbeaten 112, including 12 fours and a six, in Vipers' total of 309-9 at Chelmsford - and then shipped just seven of the nine runs Sunrisers required from the final over.
The England all-rounder was hit for a last-ball four by Fran Wilson (65no off 51) but Sunrisers - who have now lost all six of their matches this term - needed a six to win and ended short on 308-6.
Wilson had struck Tara Norris for six and four at the start of the penultimate over to reduce the requirement to 12 from 10 balls but Sunrisers could only manage three further runs off Norris, before Elwiss conceded just three singles from the first five balls of the final over.
Elwiss' exploits ensured the innings of Wilson, Cordelia Griffith (91 off 82) and Lissy MacLeod (79 off 90) came in vain with Sunrisers slipping up despite being 187-1 in the 33rd over and 247-2 in the 42nd.
Elwiss removed Macleod to make it 247-3 and despite Wilson keeping Sunrisers well in the chase, Elwiss had the final say as Vipers joined table toppers Northern Diamonds and third-placed Central Sparks in securing a top-three finish.
The final round of group games is on Saturday, with the results of those confirming which of Vipers, Diamonds and Sparks top the table and secure immediate progression into the final on September 25, with the other two sides meeting in the semi-final play-off on September 22
Diamonds booked a spot in the knockouts after hammering Thunder by 105 runs in Durham. Diamonds vs Thunder scorecard
Bess Heath (78no off 65), Beth Langston (58no off 30) and Sterre Kallis (57) posted half-centuries in Diamonds' total of 294-6, with Heath and Langston plundering 91 from the final 9.1 overs.
Georgie Boyce scored 67 for Thunder in reply but they were well beaten, limited to 189-8 as leg-spinner Katie Levick claimed 4-34.
Spinners Georgia Davis (4-26) and Ria Fackrell (3-20) snared seven wickets combined as Sparks thumped South East Stars by 115 runs in Worcester.
Stars tumbled to 114 all out in 31.3 overs in their failed pursuit of 230, losing their last seven wickets for 27 runs, including top-scorer Alice Capsey for 26.
Davis had earlier contributed a handy 13 from the No 11 spot for Sparks as they made 229 all out in 49.1 overs having slipped from 155-3 to 178-8 at New Road. Sparks vs Stars scorecard
Eve Jones (29) and Marie Kelly (24) had put on 71 for the first wicket, while top-scorer Davina Perrin (43) and Thea Brookes (33) shared a 55-run partnership for the fourth.
Western Storm captain Sophie Luff scored 70 as her side snapped a four-game losing streak in the competition with a 62-run victory over Lightning at Bristol. Storm vs Lightning scorecard
Luff, whose innings featured six fours, rallied Storm from 42-3 in the 14th over as they posted 228-7, with a host of lower-order contributions including 29 from 26 balls by Danielle Gibson.
Lightning were skittled for 166 inside 42 overs in reply, with Nicole Harvey, Georgia Hennessy and Fi Morris each claiming two wickets.
