Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s blistering 26-ball half-century set Surrey on their way to a thumping nine-wicket win over Durham at the Kia Oval.
The England opener struck 2 6s and 11 4s in her 74 (36), sharing a stand of 94 for the first wicket with skipper Bryony Smith (44 from 28) as the hosts chased down a target of 142 with 43 balls to spare to return to the top of the table.
The onslaught came after Durham fought back from 29-3 to total 141-5, Hollie Armitage anchoring the effort with her maiden Durham T20 50 (49) while Bess Heath (27 from 18) and Mia Rogers (25 from 20) played eye-catching cameos.
There were two wickets apiece for Ryana MacDonald-Gay (2-16) and Tash Farrant (2-25).
Durham were soon in trouble, MacDonald-Gay uprooting Suzie Bates’ middle stump after the New Zealand international gave her the charge.
MacDonald-Gay was at it again in her next over, spreadeagling Mady Villiers’s stumps and when Emma Marlow chipped one from Tash Farrant into the hands of Paige Scholfield, the visitors were 29-3.
Durham fought back with Armitage playing the anchor role and Heath and Rogers providing the impetus. Heath twice drove powerfully over cover and then mid-off for four in racing to 27 before Bryony Smith clung on to a good catch at mid-off to cut her charge short.
Rogers could have been stumped on 12 off the bowling of Dani Gregory, but celebrated the reprieve with some good straight hitting until she too didn’t get enough onto another drive, Scholfield again showing safe hands on the boundary.
Armitage ran hard throughout and finally found the fence twice late on while Katherine Fraser hit the last ball of the innings for six to set the target.
Smith was quick to take up the challenge clubbing Grace Thompson to the fence four times in her opening over and when spinner Katie Levick came on for the third over she was driven and pulled with equal disdain by the Surrey skipper.
Wyatt-Hodge caught the mood, cutting and driving Trudy Johnson to the fence to raise the 50-partnership in 22 balls.
Things got worse for Durham when Phoebe Turner dropped Smith a mid-off on 34, but brilliant fielding on the fence at backward square saved a six from the next ball, the England all-rounder parrying the ball back into play and keeping the hosts down to one.
Wyatt Hodge produced the first six, hammering Levick over the mid-wicket rope, but with the hundred partnership in sight Smith pulled one from Turner into the hands of Villiers to end the stand at 94.
Wyatt-Hodge though continued to brutalize the Durham bowling adding a second straight six to her boundary count as Surrey galloped home.