Hampshire Beat Essex To Extend Gap At Top

Women's One-Day Cup group leaders Hampshire defended a full of 101 to hit Essex by 4 runs to agelong their advantage astatine nan acme to 5 points.

The lucifer astatine Chelmsford was delayed by 5 hours, reduced to 17 overs per side, and was 1 of only 2 completed, retired of nan 4 scheduled connected a rain-hit Thursday.

In nan other, Lancashire's hopes of keeping gait pinch Hampshire were foiled by a five-wicket Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) conclusion by visitors Somerset.

Danielle Gibson's unbeaten 44 helped Somerset to an important triumph that kept their ain hopes of reaching nan semi-finals firmly alive.

Elsewhere, Durham's sojourn to Warwickshire was washed retired without a shot being bowled, while Surrey's travel to The Blaze was abandoned pinch nan hosts connected 66-5.

Freya Davies (2-15) and Bex Tyson (2-20) starred pinch nan shot for Hampshire arsenic Essex fell short of a target of 102, finishing connected 97-6.

Earlier, Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp some made 31 successful what looked an nether par people of 101-7, Esmae MacGregor nan prime of nan location onslaught pinch 2-17.

In reply, Sophie Munro top-scored pinch an unbeaten 28 but Hampshire eked retired a constrictive triumph to each but mathematically guarantee their semi-final spot.

At Emirates Old Trafford, an awesome bowling show group Somerset up for triumph against second-placed Lancashire.

They restricted their hosts to 169-9 from 44 overs and, aft a 90-minute rainfall delay, chased a revised 164 from nan aforesaid allocation wrong 35 for a prize point.

Ellie Anderson's seam accounted for 3 wickets and Amanda-Jade Wellington's leg-spin 2 earlier Niamh Holland and unbeaten Gibson contributed 44 apiece.

Wellington besides added a steadying 25 not retired to headdress her awesome day.

Inserted Lancashire had been put nether early unit astatine 69-7 wrong 24 overs earlier England seamer Kate Cross' composed 51 disconnected 58 balls led a fightback which yet grounded to forestall defeat.

It was a frustrating time successful Birmingham for Warwickshire and Durham, who some needed maximum points to boost their slim Finals Day chances, only for rainfall to forestall immoderate play astatine all.

At Trent Bridge, meanwhile, The Blaze, successful third, and fourth-placed Surrey had to settee for 2 points each successful their quest for semi-final places.

Surrey had nan hosts successful problem arsenic Alexa Stonehouse took 2-23 but nan upwind intervened to preclude further play.