Surrey struggle to defend 228 against Hampshire in Guildford.
Georgia Adams’ fourth List-A Hundred carried Hampshire to a 4-wicket victory over Surrey at Guildford to keep high their hopes of an automatic spot in the final on home turf at the Utilita Bowl next month.
Skipper Adams struck 115 off 103 balls (2 6s, 15 4s) as the visitors chased down a target of 229 with 51 balls to spare.
Earlier Adams had chipped in with 3-40 as Surrey were bowled out for 228 with 34 balls of their innings unused, though the damage was really done by fellow spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington, who bamboozled her rivals with 4-37. Alice Davidson-Richards top scored for Surrey with 61, with Rachel King making 45.
Surrey were quickly into stride, openers King and Alice Monaghan feasting on some short pitched offerings from Daisy Gibb and Naomi Dattani.
Spin initially failed to stem the flow, Monaghan dispatching a juicy full toss from Bex Tyson over the ropes while deliveries from Adams to both batters were clubbed the distance.
Adams though extracted revenge clinging on to a caught and bowled with King five short of 50, and when Monaghan holed out in the spinner’s next over the momentum shifted.
Sune Luus’ Surrey debut didn’t last long, castled by Tyson after which Australian Wellington flummoxed the host’s middle-order. Skipper Kira Chathli top-edged a sweep to short-fine, while Priyanaz Chatterji’s attempt at the same shot landed in the hands of deep square and Jemima Spence and Phoebe Franklin perished to catches closer to the wicket.
A recovery of sorts was down to Davidson-Richards who mixed defence with aggression, pummelling Wellington over mid-on for six and using her feet to drill boundaries down the ground. Once she fell lbw to Poppy Tulloch the end came quickly.
Adams and Ella McCaughan mirrored the approach of Surrey openers from earlier in the day, taking a heavy toll of the new-ball to raise 50 in 46 balls.
Chatterji removed McCaughan caught in the gully and though she shelled a caught and bowled to reprieve Abi Norgrove on four, the batter added only one more before falling to the spin of Bethan Miles.
Francesca Sweet too was dropped at cover before nicking Monaghan behind, respite for the bowler who had been struck for successive fours by Adams on her way to a rapid 50.
Adams wasn’t finished there, hoisting Luus for a glorious straight six and when pace returned in the form of Anna Buckle it was punched back down the ground for four. A drive and a cut for four off Monaghan took her into the 90s and a 15th four down to third off Dani Gregory carried her to the magical three figures.
By that time, Rhianna Southby had fallen to a catch at midwicket, and although Adams departed with victory in sight, Nancy Harman (37 not out) saw Hampshire over the line.
