Harris stars as Surrey down Hawks

As Surrey won their first match of the Women’s T20 Blast table against Hampshire, Grace Harris scored a blistering half-century and took three crucial wickets on debut.

The hosts amassed a massive 213-4 from their 20 overs, with Paige Scholfield, who is unbeaten in her only 18 balls, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who is evergreen, cracking 62.

With five overs left, the Hawks were just ahead of schedule when Ella McCaughan’s imperious knock of 81 saw the Hawks’ hopes come to an end when coach Harris sent Georgia Adams on her way two balls later.

Wyatt-Hodge and Bryony Smith both posted 57-0 in the six-over powerplay after being asked to bat first.

Smith fell to Adams going for number four after clearing the rope three times, being caught by Charli Knott at deep midwicket in the eighth over for 33 from 20 deliveries, with the score of 73.

After making 62 from 41 balls with seven fours and two sixes, England opener Wyatt-Hodge, who put the pedal to the side, was dropped three times as she put the ball to the side. Harris then hit receiver Freya Davies off a top edge and threw a deep backwards.

Without a mis-field by keeper Rhianna Southby, Harris would have been out for one before the Australian miscued a ramp shot and started the 19th over with a score of 63 from 35 balls, with five fours and four sixes, with Davies finishing with 2-36 from her four overs.

Scholfield continued with a five fours and three maximums to finish unbeaten on 49 from just 18 deliveries as the hosts posted 213-4 after being run out without scoring by Kira Chathli after setting off for a leg-side single that wasn’t there.

The Hawks were 16-0 from the opening five deliveries when Maia Bouchier, the England batter, holed out to Phoebe Franklin at deep midwicket to finish Kalea Moore’s over.

After making 16 of his first nine balls, Australian cricket star Knott cut Tilly Corteen-Coleman to Wyatt-Hodge diving forward at extra-cover.

Freya Kemp was moved up the order, but Alexa Stonehouse’s keeper, who had a chance, slammed an edge past her to depart for 14.

Surrey’s chase ended with a score of 96-3, two runs less than the hosts at the same time, thanks to Moore and Franklin.

As south London experienced light rain, McCaughan showed good form throughout and hit her third-straight half-century with her 10th four.

Adams skied Franklin back to the non-striker’s end after a slow start, but Adams ran a few feet to her to finish the single.

The visitors kept in touch while McCaughan was given another life as the diving Scholfield ran around from long-on as the opener moved to 66 from 40 balls while the Hawks skipper hit fit-again Tash Farrant for back-to-back boundaries to bring up the 50 partnership.

From the final five overs, 62 were required, but Harris was unable to recover the prize wicket from McCaughan, who miscued an attempted pull back to the bowler to take a towering catch and send her back to the pavilion for 81 from 50 balls.

“Bryony and Danni made our debut fantastically.” Although I may have had some bad luck, as long as you can cash in, things should go right.

“The way I played was enjoyable. I was taken for granted that the back end of the match had some cheeky wickets and I was playing a part in them.

I simply enjoy cricket, and I try to embrace it in whatever role I’m given.

Georgia Adams, the skipper of Hampshire, said, “I think we are satisfied with how we handled that chase. In the end, which was probably the difference between the two sides, was probably that we probably let them get 20 too many.

“I think in a funny way, staying ahead of the DLS score actually helped us because it kept us on track throughout the overs.

Ella was brilliant, and we were much more successful than them, but we just lost her in the final five overs.

“We were playing cat and mouse with the rain a little, and it was challenging mentally because batters at the crease constantly consider what we play for.”