Report & Reaction: South East Stars v Southern Vipers, CEC Semi-Final

Southern Vipers lost their grasp on the Charlotte Edwards Cup in heartbreaking fashion after losing their semi-final to South East Stars.

Stars set Vipers 163 for victory, after wickets for Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean and Freya Davies.

But despite an exhilarating 34 off 17 from Danni Wyatt and a brilliant 43 from Charlie Dean, Vipers fell five runs short, having won the last two editions of the competition.

Stars will face The Blaze in the final later this evening.

Georgia Adams won the toss and chose to bowl first, with Bell and Georgia Elwiss replacing Emily Windsor and Mary Taylor from the XI which beat Stars by 113 runs at the 1st Central County Ground on Wednesday.

Stars opener Bryony Smith threatened to explode the innings with a pair of sixes, but Smith and then Dean kept her on a leash before the latter got the opposition captain to chip to cover.

Sophia Dunkley and Australian Georgia Redmayne provided the backbone for the innings by putting on 74 for the second wicket.

But the Stars didn’t have everything their own way in that period as Linsey Smith continued her boast as being the most economical bowler in the competition (of those to bowl at least 20 deliveries).

Her four overs only went for 20, ruined slightly by a single boundary six, but boosted by ending the Dunkley and Redmayne partnership – with Southby giving a helping hand by stumping Dunkley one shy of a half-century.

It was the 14th wicket that Southby had assisted in the Charlotte Edward Cup – more than any other wicketkeeper.

The remainder of the innings was a game of cat and mouse between regular wickets and a smooth supply of runs.

Emma Jones was given a promotion up the batting order but made a dog’s dinner of dealing with a stunning slower ball from Freya Davies – the former Stars bowler ending with figures of one for 23.

Redmayne’s run accruing ended on 39 when she slog-swept Bell to Dean in the deep before Tash Farrant was run out – Stars completing their 20 overs on 162 for five.

Spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman, who will play at Utilita Bowl with Southern Brave, made an early breakthrough by bowling Maia Bouchier in the first over.

But Danni Wyatt and Charli Knott overcame that setback by adding 42 in the following four overs.

Both fell within six balls of each other on either side of the powerplay. Knott missed a sweep and was bowled by Bryony Smith and Wyatt had her 17-ball 34 ended by trying to hit Dani Gregory for a second maximum.

Adams and Freya Kemp had another rebuild of 26 knocked back down when they were both stumped in consecutive overs, leaving Vipers needing 69 off 49 balls.

Elwiss gave Bryony Smith her second before Southby was run out and it looked a tough chase.

Dean was magnificent in taking the game deep, with clever running paired with four boundaries and a powerful six down the ground. Her 43 gave Vipers a strong chance.

But she was run out to leave Linsey Smith and Davies needing 10 off the final Farrant over – which eventually only went for four.