Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s competition: Durham - 200/9 lost to Hampshire - 201/1 by nine wickets
Points: Durham - 0 Hampshire - 5
Thomas Ridley, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Georgia Adams made a brilliant century as Hampshire comfortably beat Durham by nine wickets to strengthen their knockout push in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Hampshire’s Poppy Tulloch and Amanda-Jade Wellington picked up three wickets apiece to tear through Durham’s batting order, with the hosts finding themselves in trouble on 129 for eight. However, Eleanor Larosa showed some resistance with a 35-ball half-century, her first for Durham, and the hosts posted a total of 200 for nine.
Hampshire’s chase of 201 got off to an excellent start with Adams and Ella McCaughan putting on 86 for the first wicket. Adams, who picked up two wickets with the ball, made an unbeaten 105 and was well supported by Abi Norgrove (59*), as Hampshire romped to victory with 12.3 overs to spare.
Durham won the toss and batted first, but the hosts lost Mia Rogers for a duck early on as 17-year-old Eliza Bristowe got her lbw.
Emma Marlow and Hollie Armitage responded well, as they notched up a fifty partnership, but both batters struggled for fluency with boundaries at a premium.
That pressure told as Armitage attempted a big shot off a Wellington delivery, but she could only find long-on. The wickets came like buses for Hampshire, with Tulloch bowling Marlow for an assured 45.
Hampshire then dismissed Emily Windsor, who was caught behind off the bowling of Tulloch. Bess Heath and Dani Collins halted the visitors’ flurry of wickets for a brief spell, but Collins then fell at the hands of Adams to leave Durham in trouble.
Wellington then picked up her second of the day as Grace Thompson was stumped by Rhianna Southby. Bess Heath became Tulloch’s third victim, as the Durham batter played a delivery in the direction of Norgrove at point who produced an excellent catch.
Wellington then dismissed Katherine Fraser, while Adams got Trudy Johnson lbw. Larosa showed some late resistance with a couple of lusty blows and she passed fifty for the third time in List A cricket, as Durham set Hampshire 201 to win.
Hampshire got off to a good start in their chase, with openers McCaughan and Adams keeping their wickets intact during the powerplay while scoring at the required rate.
The Hampshire pair then notched up their own fifty partnership as they continued to look unflustered at the crease. Adams then picked up a half-century as her excellent match continued.
However, Durham finally got a breakthrough after McCaughan holed out to the fielder on the legside boundary off the bowling of Grace Thompson.
Norgrove then joined Adams at the crease and the number three made a fluent start to her innings as the visitors moved within 100 of the target.
The Hampshire batters continued to find the boundary with ease, with Norgrove making a fluent half-century as Hampshire closed in on victory.
Adams then passed three figures and Hampshire sealed the win with plenty of time to spare.
Hampshire captain and centurion Georgia Adams said:
"It's been a brilliant day out. I thought it was an all round package today, the team was outstanding. I thought that's the best we've bowled and albeit, they came pretty hard at us in the last six overs, we've been really consistent and put the ball in the right areas."
"We wanted to have a bowl first at the toss anyways and it actually seemed pretty challenging early doors, it did do a fair bit, so I think we were content as the game went on. The pitch looked to dry out and get a bit firmer."
"We were pretty confident that the toughest place to bat was going to be the powerplay if it was anything like our bowling innings. We knew the overheads might come into play a little bit, so we were just playing the ball on its merit, but I think it's key when you're going about chasing lower totals, that you don't get complacent because you can get in that negative bubble of just batting rather than being proactive."
"I think we're really proud of what we've been able to achieve so far and we are getting into the business end now. It's such a long season and especially in this format, you ebb and flow as you chop and change. The team that was put out today is very different from the team that we had in the first six games way back in April."
