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Hampshire Hawks: 172 (Norgrove 57, Harris 3/18, Holland 3/33)
Somerset booked their place at Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup Finals Day for the first time, as skipper Sophie Luff’s 80 helped the visitors to a 35-run win at Utilita Bowl’s Nursery Ground.
Former England captain Heather Knight, who played in her first professional game since her bow out from internationals, made 44 as Somerset posted 207/7, with 17-year-old all-rounder Eliza Bristowe taking 3/38 – her first wickets as a professional cricketer.
Teenage leg-spinner Lola Harris then claimed 3/18 from four overs as Hampshire Hawks were bowled out for 172 in the final over.
The match took place at Utilita Bowl’s Nursery pitch, adjacent to the main ground where Hampshire’s men were in Rothesay County Championship action against Yorkshire, making today’s County Cup tie the first professional game to be played on the Nursery.
Having been put in to bat, opening duo Bex Odgers and Sophie Luff got off to a flier on a dry pitch and even drier outfield, where anything through the infield raced to the rope.
Odgers fell in the third over, holing out to Francesca Sweet to give Bristowe her first wicket, where she paid homage to her namesake Eric with a throw at double tops.
But Luff, fresh off the back of lifting The Hundred title with Trent Rockets, put the Hawks bowlers away with ease as Somerset reached 65/1 in the powerplay with the aid of some powerful ball striking from Emma Corney, who made a brisk 15 before she too fell to Bristowe.
The experienced heads of Luff and Knight then set about making the Hawks pay for the decision to put them in to bat.
The duo put on 96 for the third wicket in 9.1 overs, with Luff reaching her half-century from just 37 deliveries.
Knight struck six boundaries in her 30-ball 44, but was undone by the drift of Georgia Adams off the 100th ball of the innings, but the platform was set for some lower-order fireworks at 169/3.
Pacer Poppy Tulloch then had Luff caught by Bristowe off a top edge for 80 off 51, but Charlie Dean made sure the Wyverns sailed past the 200 mark with 21 from 11 balls.
The Hawks too got off to a quick start in their reply, taking 10 runs off each of the first two overs, but Ellie Anderson had Adams caught at short fine leg for nine to end what has been a stellar week for the Hampshire captain, having won The Hundred, signed a contract extension, and scored a century in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup all within four days of each other.
Ella McCaughan then feathered Alex Griffiths behind and the Hawks were struggling at 57/2 in the powerplay – ten runs behind their opponents at the same stage.
Nancy Harman brought some impetus to the innings with a brisk 24, but tight bowling from leg spinner Harris ensured the visitors never relinquished control of the game.
At the halfway stage, the Hawks needed another 101 runs to win, but Harris had Rhianna Southby caught on the deep for seven in an over that conceded just four runs.
Francesca Sweet and Abi Norgrove partnered for 54 runs, but the required rate was always climbing. The former made 34 before she was well-caught by Dean at long on, just after Norgrove raised her bat for her half-century.
With 49 runs needed off the final three overs, the Hawks needed boundaries, but a double-wicket over from Harris removed Norgrove and Bristowe with just two runs coming off it, to all but seal the win for the Wyverns, and Charlie Dean rounded off the innings with back-to-back wickets to see her side to Finals Day.
Somerset will head to Emirates Old Trafford where they will join Surrey, Essex, and reigning Vitality Blast champions, The Blaze, on Saturday 28th August after a home Metro Bank One-Day Cup match against Durham on Wednesday.
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