Hampshire beat Essex to extend gap at top

Hampshire, the women’s one-day cup group leader, defeated Essex by four runs to extend their lead over them to five points.

On a rainy Thursday, the match at Chelmsford was delayed by five hours, with only two of the four matches remaining.

In the other, visitors Somerset’s five-wicket Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) defeat put Lancashire in danger of catching up with Hampshire.

Somerset’s important victory, which Danielle Gibson had unbeaten 44, kept their own chances of making it to the semi-finals firmly in the balance.

Durham’s trip to Warwickshire was abandoned with the hosts on 66-5, and Surrey’s washed out without a ball.

As Essex fell short of a target of 102, finishing with a score of 97-6, Freya Davies (2-15) and Bex Tyson (2-20) had the ball in their hands for Hampshire.

Esmae MacGregor, who had 2-17, made the most of the home attack with a score of 101-7, Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp both making 31 in the same match.

Sophie Munro responded with a top-scoring 28 points, but Hampshire only managed to escape with a close victory to mathematically secure their spot in the semi-finals.

A strong bowling performance at Emirates Old Trafford propelled Somerset to victory over Lancashire.

After a 90-minute rain delay, they chased a revised 164 from the same allocation inside 35 for a bonus point and restricted their hosts to 169-9 from 44 overs.

Before Niamh Holland and Gibson combined for 44, Ellie Anderson’s seam contributed three wickets and Amanda-Jade Wellington’s leg-spin two.

Wellington finished off her impressive day with a steadying 25 not out.

Before England seamer Kate Cross’ composed 51 off 58 balls led a fightback that ultimately failed to prevent defeat, Inserted Lancashire was put under early pressure at 69-7 inside 24 overs.

Warwickshire and Durham both needed maximum points to improve their slim Finals Day chances, but rain prevented any play altogether on the day in Birmingham.

In order to reach the semi-finals, The Blaze, in third and fourth, had to settle for two points each at Trent Bridge.