Report & Reaction: Hampshire Hawks Women v Lancashire Thunder, Vitality Blast

Vitality Blast women's competition - Lancashire Thunder 131 lost Hampshire Hawks 135/1 by nine wickets

By Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Nancy Harman took an unlikely three-for in her first bowl of the season as Hampshire Hawks thrashed Lancashire Thunder to reclaim the top of the Vitality Blast women’s competition table.

Harman only entered the attack after Poppy Tulloch was barred from bowling after a second no ball, but took three wickets in nine balls to end Lancashire’s innings.

Maia Bouchier continued her insane form with her seventh fifty in her last nine innings to make sure the chase of 131 was simple, and victory came with a bonus point.

Hawks squeezed the Thunder right from the start, having chosen to bowl first.

The hosts only scored 30, and lost Eve Jones, in the powerplay, before three more wickets before the end of the 11th over continued the stall.

But stalwarts Emma Lamb and Ellie Threlkeld finally found first gear of the innings as they put on 53 for the fifth wicket.

That stand took Thunder from a precarious 46 for four to 99 for four, to take them towards respectability – which was enhanced with 54 runs coming between the 15th and 19th overs.

Harman hadn’t bowled all competition, but was forced to enter the attack as an emergency, after Poppy Tulloch had bowled her second no ball and was withdrawn.

The off spinner had Lamb caught with her second ball, before also picking up Hannah Jones and Tara Norris to round off the innings for an unlikely three for nine from nine balls.

Despite their rally in the second half of the innings, Lancashire’s 131 never looked like enough, especially with Bouchier in red hot form.

It took just three balls for Bouchier, who will team up with the England Test squad next week, to find the boundary for the first time – flicking Kate Cross off her toes.

She also pinged the former international quick over her head for six in a 48-run stand with Ella McCaughan.

And when McCaughan was bowled by Jones, Bouchier just continued seamlessly with Georgia Adams – adding 87 in 53 balls to reach the winning line.

Bouchier scored 530 runs in June and continued that with an unbeaten 77 – crashing the winning boundary over the off side with 33 balls to spare.