Women’s T20 Blast round-up: Surrey and The Blaze suffer first losses

Somerset skipper Sophie Luff continued her impressive Blast form with a career-best 82 not out from 53 balls to lead her side to victory over Surrey, sealed by successive fours from Ruby Davis.

Luff’s imperious innings, her third half-century in four games, dug Somerset out of trouble at 59-4 as they triumphed on 154-6 despite seamer Alice Monaghan’s 3-24.

Earlier, left-arm spinner Olivia Barnes (3-21) reduced Surrey to 60-4 before Jemima Spence’s maiden T20 half-century, an unbeaten 51 from 35, spearheaded a recovery to 153-5.

In Nottingham, England all-rounder Villiers claimed 3-21 with her off spin as The Blaze were bowled out for 153, before striking 47 from 34 balls as Durham eased home with five balls to spare.

Villiers’ opening stand of 83 with skipper Hollie Armitage, who went on to make an unbeaten 50 off 47 balls, helped Durham to victory, with Bess Heath also in the runs, hitting 36 from 18 balls.

Georgia Elwiss top-scored for The Blaze with 31 from 24 balls and skipper Marie Kelly hit 28 from 15 but 153 always looked tough to defend.

In Sunday’s other game, MacLeod – who had already struck 59 against Warwickshire earlier in the competition, paced Essex’s chase against Lancashire to perfection – with partnerships of 40 and 66 with Grace Scrivens and Jodi Grewcock respectively.

Scrivens had earlier claimed 3-23 as the headline bowling act as Lancashire Thunder spluttered to 128.

Match report details supplied by the ECB Reporters’ Network.