Stars squeeze past holders Vipers in thriller

Charlotte Edwards Cup semi-final, County Ground, Derby

South East Stars: 162-5 (20 overs): Dunkley 49; L Smith 1-20

Southern Vipers: 157-9 (20 overs): Dean 43; Corteen-Coleman 2-23

Southern Vipers won by 5 runs

Match scorecard

South East Stars’ spinners yet ended Southern Vipers’ grip connected nan Charlotte Edwards Cup arsenic they squeezed location by 5 runs successful a melodramatic semi-final.

Teenager Tilly Corteen-Coleman (2-23), Dani Gregory (2-25) and Bryony Smith (2-32) trim done Vipers’ mediate bid earlier seamer Tash Farrant sealed victory, conceding conscionable 4 from nan past over.

It looked arsenic though Charlie Dean’s valiant sound of 43 from 29 balls would rescue nan defending champions, but she was tally retired by Farrant arsenic her broadside came up short astatine 157-9 – and Stars will now return connected The Blaze successful nan last this evening.

Earlier, Sophia Dunkley top-scored pinch 49 from 34 arsenic she and Georgia Redmayne shared a second-wicket business of 74 from 57 to usher Stars to 162-5.

Stars had been skittled for conscionable 66 successful their last group fixture against nan Vipers conscionable 3 days earlier – but they ever looked apt to amended importantly connected that meagre full aft being put successful to bat.

Skipper Bryony Smith gave her broadside a brisk start, lifting some Linsey Smith and Dean complete nan obstruction to scope 20 from 17 earlier nan second had her caught astatine screen from a starring edge.

However, that was Vipers’ sole occurrence until nan 14th complete erstwhile Dunkley – connected nan verge of a 3rd half-century successful 3 games – was lured retired of her crease by nan wily Smith (1-20) for Rhianna Southby to assistance nan bails.

Redmayne (39 from 38) soon followed, holing retired to heavy midwicket disconnected Lauren Bell and a tight spell of 1-23 by seamer Freya Davies, who claimed nan wicket of Emma Jones, besides helped to stem nan Stars’ momentum.

Clean striking by Paige Scholfield, who thrashed successive Georgia Adams deliveries for 4 and six and vanished undefeated connected 34 from 22, ensured that they group nan champions a competitory target.

Stars initially struggled to find a accordant magnitude pinch nan shot and, though Maia Bouchier fell cheaply, bowled astir her legs by Corteen-Coleman, Danni Wyatt and Charli Knott made swift advancement successful nan powerplay.

Knott dispatched Corteen-Coleman for successive fours earlier she was bowled swinging crossed nan statement astatine Smith and Wyatt – who had been ruthless connected thing bad boy successful her quickfire 34 from 17 – past pulled Gregory to heavy midwicket.

Smart glovework by Redmayne down nan stumps accounted for some Freya Kemp and Adams and, erstwhile Smith prised retired Georgia Elwiss pinch a shot that spun backmost astatine her, Vipers were floundering.

Dean managed nan onslaught shrewdly, collecting capable boundaries to support her broadside successful contention but, erstwhile she was tally retired astatine nan non-striker’s extremity pinch 9 still needed, nan crippled was up for nan cup holders.