Southern Vipers secured their first-ever tie in any format in a dramatic Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match at Southport.

Needing 16 runs off the final over, former Viper Tara Norris hit a four and a six as the home side needed three runs off the final ball but some good fielding right on the boundary rope kept the Thunder batters to two, and hands were shaken with the scores exactly level on 262-8.

At the start of the day, Vipers openers Ella McCaughan and Abi Norgrove put on a stand of 85 having scored 42 inside the first ten overs.

As time went by, Norgrove began to go through the gears, driving and clipping expertly and showing experience way beyond someone in just her second senior match for the club.

She eventually fell just two runs shy of a maiden half-century as she came down the wicket to Emma Lamb and Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld whipped off the bails.

Spin looked to be the way forward when Fi Morris bowled Georgia Adams for two, and McCaughan was caught in the deep off the bowling of the England all-rounder for 35.

Emily Windsor continued her strong season, utilising her favourite cuts and drives to great effect on the way to 49 whilst Freya Kemp looked power the ball down the ground and into the leg side.

However, the left hander fell for 20 when she was caught off a leading edge to the bowling of Liberty Heap, and the Vipers were in a spot of bother at 142-2 in the 33^rd over.

New signing Maitlan Brown came to the crease and put on 36 runs with Windsor before she was bowled looking to drive off Laura Jackson.

This brought Linsey Smith to the crease who showcased her all-round abilities as she smashed her way to a 33-ball 42*, her highest score in Vipers colours.

Windsor cut a ball from Jackson to go within a run of what would’ve been back-to-back half-centuries, but she feathered an edge through to Threlkeld the very next ball.

Despite Monaghan being run out for nought, Taylor and Southby, along with Smith, clattered boundaries left, right and centre, pushing the Vipers up to a strong total of 262-8.

In reply, the visitors got off to a shaky start as Lamb was brilliantly caught and bowled off the bowling of Brown in just the third over, and were 74-3 when Smale and Morris were stumped and caught.

Dattani and Dottin began a rebuild but the World Boss was trapped lbw by Smith for 21 and Dattani chipped a simple caught and bowled back to Adams for 43, and the home side found themselves 112-5 in the 28^th.

Thunder skipper Ellie Threlkeld then anchored her team’s recovery, and gradually accelerated on her way to a run-a-ball 60.

Ava Lee, also in her second game, picked up the wicket of Dani Collins on her way to 2-33 from ten overs, with Brown the star of the bowling attack with 3-52 on debut.

A partnership of 62 between Threlkeld and Norris rescued the Thunder innings, but with 16 required off the last, it seemed all in the Vipers’ hands.

The last five overs all went for double figures, and when Norris hit Adams for four off the second ball of the last, it began to seem within reach of the home side.

Single each from Norris and Gaur brought the American back on strike, and she swung Adams away over long on for a maximum to take her side to within one hit of victory.

She struck the final ball well, but excellent fielding right on the boundary rope from Maitlan Brown and Emily Windsor kept the runs to two, and the two sides walked off with the points shared.