Report & Reaction: Somerset v Hampshire Women, Metro Bank One Day Cup

Hampshire 303-7 (Sweet 57, Southby 53, Bouchier 50, Barnes 3-54) beat Somerset 264 (Learoyd 87, Odgers 77, Wellington 3-52) by 39 runs.

Andrew Stockhausen, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Hampshire raised their second-highest ever List-A total to beat Somerset by 39 runs in the Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s competition at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Francesca Sweet top-scored with 57 from 52 deliveries with 8 fours, Rhianna Southby contributed 53 and Maia Bouchier 50 as Hampshire posted 303-7 to improve their prospects of progressing.

Spinners Liv Barnes and Lola Harris claimed 3-54 and 2-56 respectively, their performances the only highlight of a below-par Somerset showing in the field.

The home side made a good fist of chasing, Anika Learoyd and Bex Odgers scoring 87 and 77 respectively and staging a second wicket stand of 161 in 25 overs to threaten an unlikely outcome.

But Amanda Jade Wellington returned figures of 3-52 and Georgia Adams 3-45 as Somerset, well-placed at 199-1, were eventually dismissed for 264 in 46.3 overs.

Hampshire openers Bouchier and Ella McCaughan established dominance in a rattling stand of 72 in 10.4 overs, taking advantage of some wayward bowling after being put in.

Barnes removed McCaughan for 31, but the pressure was soon back on, Abi Norgrove scoring at a run-a-ball and Bouchier moving serenely to a 47-ball half century with 7 fours.

Somerset needed a breakthrough and Niamh Holland obliged, having Bouchier held by Learoyd at extra cover.

Norgrove then gave Harris the charge and was stumped by Katie Jones for 35, while Chloe Skelton persuaded Adams to chip to mid-on with the score 152-4.

On the cusp of assuming control, Somerset must have regretted passing up the opportunity to remove Sweet for seven, Jess Hazell putting down a straightforward chance off the bowling of Skelton at mid-off.

Making good on her escape, Sweet helped raise 98 in 15 overs in alliance with Southby as the fifth wicket pair engineered a crucial momentum shift.

Sweet raised 50 from 44 balls, Southby achieving the same landmark via seven deliveries more, before top-edging a catch behind off Harris.

Barnes accounted for Sweet and Naomi Dattani, but Wellington and Poppy Tulloch ensured Hampshire finished strongly.

Somerset lost Sophie Luff for 23, only for Learoyd and Odgers to carry the fight to Hampshire thereafter.

These two raised 50 from 53 balls without taking undue risks, bringing up the hundred in 19 overs.

Learoyd struck 8 fours in a 52-ball half century characterised by crisp stroke-play, while the more conservative Odgers played a supporting role in going to 50 via 73 deliveries with six boundaries.

When Learoyd stepped inside a short ball from Tulloch and hooked for six, it brought up the hundred partnership as the hosts reached halfway well-placed at 142-1. 

Desperate to affect a breakthrough, Hampshire removed Odgers and Learoyd in the space of three deliveries, the former edging a catch behind off Wellington and the latter a return catch to Adams.

The visitors further improved their situation when Wellington bowled Hazell around her legs and Adams persuaded Holland to sky one to mid-wicket. 

By the time Alex Griffiths was caught and bowled by Wellington, Somerset were 213-6, having lost five wickets in the space of 19 deliveries and any chance of winning.

Hampshire all-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington said: "It's been an unbelievable day and to put more than 300 on the board was outstanding, especially here against a good Somerset side.

“The key word for our performance with the bat today was partnerships. We built partnerships all the way through, even with me and Poppy Tulloch at the end of the innings. Somerset had a really good partnership with Bex Odgers and Anika Learoyd and we had to hang on in there and believe in our processes.

“It might have looked boring, but we just stuck to our bowling plans and placed trust in one another to get the job done. Making the double breakthrough to send back their second wicket pair was a crucial turning point.

“We managed to shut down their game after that and, in the end, won quite comfortably, if we could break that partnership, Somerset would fall away."

Somerset batter Anika Learoyd said: "Losing is hugely disappointing, because we set the game up really well. Bex (Odgers) and I were absolutely cruising through the middle overs, and it was definitely a case of game on at 199-1.

“Unfortunately, Bex and I got out quickly one after the other and that gave Hampshire the opportunity they had been looking for. It was a tough ask for the batters who came after us and Hampshire did really well to squeeze us.

“We have a lot of young players in our middle order, and it felt as though they were having to come out into the furnace. They'll learn from the experience going forward, that's for sure. We didn't have our best day with the ball, and we let ourselves down in the field. We pulled it back a bit in the last ten, but we gave them too many easy runs."