KSL 2019: Heather Knight strikes unbeaten 78 to lead Western Storm to final KSL title
Sunday 1 September 2019 20:57, UK
England captain Heather Knight struck an unbeaten 78 to lead Western Storm to their second Kia Super League title in the final edition of the tournament.
Chasing a challenging 173, Knight crunched 78 off 53 balls - hitting nine fours and three sixes - and 93 runs off nine overs with Deepti Sharma (39 not out off 22) to lead her side to a six-wicket win over Southern Vipers at Hove.
Earlier, Danni Wyatt powered 73 off 42 balls as the Vipers posted 172-7, scoring her fifth fifty-plus score of the KSL this season, but it proved too little.
The KSL, the first-ever women's professional domestic competition in England, will be replaced by The Hundred next season and Storm have become the only team to lift the trophy twice.
Knight ends difficult summer on high
A disappointing series against Australia saw Knight come into the KSL season with added venom and the 28-year-old showed her class as she scored three match-winning half-centuries en route to the final.
And, despite walking to the crease in Sussex with her team 2-1 after Smriti Mandhana had been dismissed for a golden duck, Knight kept her in cool, even in the face of an ever-increasing run rate.
Having crafted a 40-run, third-wicket partnership with Fran Wilson (18), Knight soon saw her side lose two wickets in nine balls as Wilson was caught at deep midwicket by Wyatt off leading wicket-taker Tash Farrant and Sophie Luff then gloved spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington behind for a first-ball duck.
Indian all-rounder Sharma added a much needed injection of momentum to Storm's innings and was the perfect tonic to Knight's well-paced innings - with the skipper stroking the final ball of the 19th over to the boundary to seal a memorable win.
Wyatt's heroics not enough
Fresh from a nervy semi-final win over Loughborough Lightning, Vipers opted to bat first and Wyatt looking straight back in her zone - striking boundaries for fun.
A brilliant one-handed return catch from Sonia Odedra ended the opening partnership as Suzie Bates was dismissed for 26 but player-of-the-tournament Wyatt continued to bisect fielders and find the ropes to the delight of the crowd.
However, having reached 134-1 the Vipers lost their way when Wyatt was caught at Cow Corner having looked to launch Sharma for six.
Soon after, captain Tammy Beaumont's decision to call for a third run after a fumble in the deep forced Maia Bouchier to sacrifice her wicket but the England batter was soon headed back to the pavilion for 33 as she sent a top-edge flying into the hands of Claire Nicholas.
Having looked on course for 200, Vipers lost 6-34 and it proved a costly collapse as Storm cruised home.
