Women’s T20 Blast: Wins for Hampshire and Lancashire as Surrey tie with Essex

Hampshire Hawks held their nerve to win a tense battle against basement club Somerset and keep alive hopes of making the top three in the Women’s T20 Blast.

Somerset put up one of their best displays of their winless campaign by posting a total of 153-8, with Fran Wilson’s 32-ball 55 the standout contribution.

An excellent reply from Hawks openers Elysse Perry (40) and Rhianna Southby (57) looked to have put them on course for a comfortable victory.

But, with Southby falling in an excellent penultimate over to leave 11 needed off the last, Freya Kemp held her nerve against Alex Griffiths, hitting a six off the second ball and bringing home the victory by eight wickets with two balls to spare.

The win put Hampshire within seven points of Warwickshire Bears in third spot with four games to play, a gap which remained after Lancashire Thunder beat the Bears by seven wickets at Emirates Old Trafford.

Fifth-placed Thunder are a point behind Hampshire after chasing down the Bears’ total of 123-7, Emma Lamb bringing home the win with an unbeaten 60.

But there will be some frustration that after being 105-1 with five overs to go they were unable to get home sufficiently quickly, winning with nine balls to spare, to earn a bonus point win which would have taken them level with the Hawks.