Fran Wilson, Sophie Luff fifties see Storm home in rain-hit clash

Western Storm demonstrated tremendous tenacity with the bat to register an unlikely victory over top-of-the-table South East Stars in an entertaining Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match at the Cooper Associates Ground in Taunton.

Set a daunting target of 299 to win in 44 overs in a rain-shortened contest, Storm reached 236-5 in their chase when the weather again closed in to force a premature conclusion, the home side winning by eight runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method thanks to assured half centuries from skipper Sophie Luff and Fran Wilson and a forthright knock of 40 not out from Nat Wraith.

Stars looked to have done enough with Paige Scholfield, Alice Davidson-Richards and Aylish Cranstone scoring 74, 65 and 63 not out respectively. But a stand of 131 in 19.5 overs between Luff and Wilson put the home side firmly back in contention before the rain returned.

The first side to defeat Stars in four matches this term, Storm have now won back-to-back games and have an opportunity to put themselves into the title mix when they host Southern Vipers at Bristol on Saturday.

Their confidence high following three straight wins, Stars made light of being inserted on a drying pitch after rain delayed the start of play by an hour and 15 minutes. Openers Bryony Smith and Alexa Stonehouse more than made up for lost time, staging a whirlwind stand of 42 in five overs to give the innings crucial early impetus.

Signed on loan from Sparks, seam bowler Ellie Anderson endured a difficult debut, conceding 22 from two overs with the new ball and being withdrawn from the attack. Slow left armer Sophia Smale fared little better. Contending with a wet ball and exposed to a short leg-side boundary, the England Under-19 international went for 29 in three overs as the aggressive Smith opened her shoulders to plunder a 19-ball 30 with a quartet of fours and a six.

Seamer Mollie Robbins induced Smith to drive to cover point in the sixth over, but the respite proved short-lived as Scholfield picked up the cudgels in a progressive alliance of 47 for the second wicket with Stonehouse. The South African-born right-hander posted a brilliant match-winning hundred against Storm at Bristol 12 months ago and appeared capable of repeating the feat when hoisting Smale for two towering sixes over midwicket in the space of three deliveries.

With Stars scoring at eight an over, it was proving a good toss to lose. Stonehouse attempted to cut Harrison and was superbly held by Wilson at backward point, departing for 29, only for Davidson-Richards to announce herself with a straight six at the expense of Amanda-Jade Wellington as runs continued to flow.

At least the Australian spinner succeeded in exerting a degree of control during nine overs from the River End that yielded just 35 runs.

Otherwise, Storm's bowlers found the going hard in the face of relentless pressure from Scholfield and Davidson-Richards. Scholfield raised 50 from 48 balls and the 100 partnership occupied a mere 107 deliveries as the third-wicket pair ruthlessly exploited anything short of a length on an easy-paced track.

Called into the attack for the first time, Niamh Holland required just two balls to break the partnership, pinning Scholfield lbw for 74 with the score on 189. But the damage had been done, Scholfield having harvested five fours ad three sixes in an enterprising innings that spanned 64 balls.

Davidson-Richards went to 50 from 74 balls, was afforded a life on 52 when dropped at extra cover by Chloe Skelton and advanced her score to 65 from 85 balls before top-edging a pull shot to fine leg off the bowling of Alex Griffiths.

Thereafter, Cranstone ensured there was no let-up in the tempo, the Surrey left-hander smiting a quickfire 63 from 40 deliveries, accruing eight boundaries and dominating a whirlwind unbroken sixth-wicket alliance of 47 in four overs with Ryana MacDonald-Gay. Under the pump at the death, Storm were guilty of numerous misfields and two further dropped catches as the pressure told.

Required to score at seven an over, Storm stumbled out of the blocks, Smale offering a return catch to Phoebe Franklin and departing in the third over. When Griffiths was bowled by Stonehouse soon afterwards, the home side were 10 for 2.

Charged with the task of rebuilding, the experienced pair of Luff and Wilson could ill afford to take undue risks, instead adopting a cautious approach against the new ball. Even so, Luff was fortunate to escape on 8, Franklin fumbling what should have been a straightforward catch off her own bowling with the score on 27.

Making good her escape, Storm's captain helped Wilson add 50 in 52 balls, the third-wicket partnership growing in belief all of the time as they kept the required rate at about eight an over. They found acceleration to extend their alliance to three figures via a further 41 deliveries, rotating the strike and making Stars work hard in the field.

Wilson was first to 50, from 46 balls, while Luff required 18 deliveries more to pass the same milestone as the home side advanced to 122 for 2 at the halfway point, requiring a further 176 at 8.1 an over.

Just at the point where the stand was becoming a concern, Stars effected a breakthrough, Bethan Miles bowling Luff for 59 as she advanced. Her gutsy innings spanned 73 balls and included five fours and, with her, went Storm's best chance of pulling of an unlikely victory. Wilson received a life on 61, dropped at midwicket by Franklin off Dani Gregory, but was out soon afterwards, stumped by Chloe Hill off the same bowler for 65.

Up against it, the fifth-wicket pair of Wraith and Wellington adopted the aerial route as they sought to bring the required rate back down to manageable levels. The only Storm batter to target the short boundary, Wellington helped herself to three sixes at the expense of Miles, who was relieved when exacting swift revenge and having the Australian caught in the deep in the act of slog-sweeping for a 16-ball 30.

Needing 74 off the last 10 overs, Wraith and new partner Holland mustered sufficient boundaries to heap pressure on Stars for the first time in the match. Their partnership was worth 44 when the rain arrived, forcing the players off with the score on 236 for 5 and Storm on the right side of the equation by eight runs.