Durham Women secure back-to-back home wins with a bonus point victory over Hampshire Hawks with the five wicket defeat ending the visitor’s chances of qualifying for Vitality Blast Finals Day.
It was the host’s bowlers who put them in charge at a sun-kissed Banks Homes Riverside with seamer Phoebe Turner taking three wickets in the 12th over on her way to T20 best figures of 3/17 to turn the game Durham’s way before restricting the hosts to just 103 for seven from their 20 overs.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Hawks made a decent start in reaching 30 without the loss of a wicket off four overs with Australian star Ellyse Perry looking dangerous.
But when Perry was caught at cover by Katherine Fraser in Mady Villiers’ first over for 23 off 16 balls it triggered a collapse that saw the Hawkes lose five wickets for 28 runs as Durham blew away the southern outfit’s middle order.
Turner was executioner in chief, removing skipper Georgia Adams for four, opener Rhianna Southy for 25 and Naomi Dattani for one in a devastating over for the Hawks.
Turner was supported by the leg spin of Katie Levik who finished with one for 11 off her four tight overs and Villers who took for two for 23.
Only a seventh wicket partnership of 35 saved the Hawks’ blushes with Freya Davies’ unbeaten 20 and 12 from Mary Taylor adding some much-needed gloss to a lethargic batting performance.
New Zealand legend Suzie Bates got Durham off to a flyer but they were pegged back in the third over when Daisy Gibb had Emma Marlow caught behind without scoring.
The battle of the Antipodean stars then proved a relishing prospect with Bates hitting Perry’s first ball for a boundary before the Australian had the last laugh when the batter edged her sixth ball behind to leave Durham 35 for two at the end of the powerplay.
With Villers brilliantly caught in the deep by Kemp off a Bex Tyson full toss for 14 the home side’s nerves were kicking in and they only increased when Bess Heath was bowled by Adams for one to leave Durham 49 for four.
It was left to skipper Hollie Armitage and Emily Windsor to steady the ship with three consecutive boundaries from Windsor from Adams’ 12th over proving a crucial turning point in the run chase.
Armitage fell caught and bowled by Davies for 17 but the 40 run partnership for the fifth wicket meant Durham needed just 15 runs to win with Windsor finishing unbeaten on 36 off 23 balls to seal the win in the 16th over.