Words by Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network

Captains Hollie Armitage and Georgia Adams starred before rain killed off a vital Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash between Southern Vipers and Northern Diamonds.

Diamonds skipper Armitage scored a confident 48 before she was part of two wickets in two balls for Vipers’ leader Adams.

But with the Diamonds on 105 for four after 25.4 overs rain came down and after three hours, the umpires Ben Peverall and Ant Harris called things off at 3:20pm with the two team each taking two points.

The Vipers and Diamonds have contested each of the first three Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy finals – Vipers leading the battle 2-1 – but both are in danger of missing out on the knockout stage this year.

Vipers had lost four of their nine matches, while Diamonds’ defence has waivered with three straight defeats – therefore finding a way to get a result, and promoting their chance of progression, was in everyone’s interest.

Adams won the toss and chose to bowl, the natural choice with rain around, and saw here opening bowlers stall the Diamonds innings with a tight start.

Stere Kalis only survived until the third over when Australian fast bowler Maitlan Brown found her outside edge, with Adams completing the catch at first slip.

Mary Taylor entered the attack and bowled Lauren Winfield-Hill with her first delivery as the ball dipped into her middle stump.

Armitage and Emma Marlow recovered things with a 58-run stand, with Armitage dominating the stand with 36 of the runs.

Batting took work and Armitage went back to basics in waiting for bad balls to capitalise on with seven boundaries split square of the wicket on either side.

She fell two balls short of a second fifty of the tournament when Adams found a thin edge behind, with Rebecca Duckworth bowled next ball.

The hat-trick ball was negotiated successfully before rain came down and ended play in the 26th over.