Kia Super League
Southern Vipers 91 ao
Western Storm 93-1
Storm win by nine wickets
SMRITI Mandhana (43*) was again the difference for Western Storm as the Kia Super League defending champions earned a bonus point victory over Southern Vipers.
In a re-match of both the 2016 and 2017 finals, Vipers were blown away by the Storm having been bowled out for their lowest ever total of 91.
Mandhana, on the back of an unbeaten 52, 37 and 48 to start the campaign, crashed 43 off 27 to set up a nine-wicket win.
It took until the third over for Storm to make the breakthrough, with Danielle Wyatt caught behind off Anya Shrubsole.
Claire Nicholas then grabbed her first wicket of the match when she bowled Mignon du Preez – 28-2.
Captain Suzie Bates was caught and bowled by Danielle Gibson and Arran Brindle was given a life when she was dropped at fine leg.
The missed chance didn’t prove costly as former England star Brindle was run out by a direct hit by Naomi Dattani at mid-off.
Maia Bouchier was handed her debut and gained a life when Rachel Priest missed a stumping, but was run out soon after by Knight.
McGlashan was then stumped for 31 to leave the Vipers on 63-6.
Natasha Farrant, Amelia Kerr and Katie George all departed playing either reverse sweeps or scoops. Amber Rudd was the last to depart, with Vipers bowled out for 91 with two overs to spare.
Nicholas ended the pick of the Storm bowlers with figures of two for 17, although Shrubsole, Freya Davies, Stafanie Taylor and Knight all boasted economy rates of under a run-a-ball.
Priest smashed 30 off 14 balls. The opener took Farrant apart in the first over, with two fours and a massive six down the ground, before three boundaries in the following overs.
Priest departed when she swept Brindle to McGlashan, but it couldn’t stop the onslaught from Mandhana, wilfully accompanied by Knight.
The Indian popped Bates over the rope to go alongside five fours, with Knight ending up unbeaten on 18. Storm won with 63 balls to spare.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here