Match Report: Somerset beat Lancashire at Taunton
Jess Hazell produced a career-best innings to propel Somerset to a five-wicket victory over Lancashire at the Cooper Associates Ground and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s competition.
The 22-year-old academy product smashed an unbeaten 77 off 85 deliveries, hit 8 fours and a six and staged stands of 55 and 97 with Emma Corney and Katie Jones for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively as Somerset chased a target of 241 with 13 balls to spare. Corney posted 51 (78 balls) and Jones 47 (39 balls) to set-up a qualification decider against Surrey at The Oval on Saturday.
Seren Smale top-scored with 82 from 106 deliveries and dominated a stand of 126 in 24 overs with Fi Morris, who made a 64-ball 56, as Lancashire made 240-9 after losing the toss. Ellie Anderson took 3-41.
Somerset elected to bowl on a used Taunton surface and must have been congratulating themselves after reducing their opponents to 74-4 in the 19th. Alex Griffiths pinned Eve Jones lbw for nine, Chloe Skelton removed Tilly Kesteven with her first delivery, Ireland captain Gaby Lewis made a breezy 36 before sweeping Lola Harris to Jess Hazell backward of square and Ellie Threlkeld was run out for 20 following a mix-up with Smale.
By the time Smale and Morris came together, Somerset's spinners had successfully restricted the rate to 3.5 and Lancashire's fifth wicket pair had their work cut out to rectify a below-par start. Exercising patience in the face of spin, these two expertly manipulated the field to establish themselves, raising 50 from 69 deliveries, and then found acceleration when the seamers returned. Smale was first to 50 via 71 balls, Morris requiring nine deliveries fewer to achieve the same landmark as the partnership realised three figures.
Both plundered sixes at the expense of Jazz Westley and Somerset were afforded respite only when Morris chanced her arm once too often and holed out to Anderson off Skelton with the score 200-5 in the 43rd. Lancashire failed to fully press home their advantage thereafter, Anderson taking three wickets in five balls, including that of Smale, to check northern ambition.
Somerset's reply followed a similar pattern, the home side reaching the halfway point on 95-3, Bex Odgers, Sophie Luff and Niamh Holland all falling to ill-advised shots. Sophie Morris accounted for the openers, Odgers giving her the charge and missing a straight one and Luff miss-timing a drive to mid-on and departing for 23. When Holland came down the pitch and was bowled by Venus Veerappulli for 15, Somerset were 87-3 and in need of a substantial partnership.
Corney and Hazell obliged, staging a stand of 55 for the fourth wicket to transfer pressure back onto the bowlers for the first time. Playing only her seventh innings after returning from long-term injury, Corney went to her first 50 of the season from 73 deliveries, only to then be run out by Smale’s throw from the deep after being sent back by Hazell.
Determined to make amends and dropped by Darcey Carter on 28 at deep backward square, Hazell raised a half century from 65 balls, while Jones played brilliantly, taking advantage of the short leg-side boundary to hit 2 sixes and 3 fours and carry Somerset to the brink.
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