Warwickshire v Somerset Women's Vitality T20 Blast Match Report

The in-form all-rounder posted 42 from 31 balls, struck five boundaries and dominated a third wicket stand of 54 with Anika Learoyd as the home side chased down a victory target of 124 with 3.4 overs to spare.

Somerset’s fourth win in five games was underpinned by a solid performance in the field, spinners Liv Barnes and Chloe Skelton claiming 2-20 and 2-21 respectively as Warwickshire were restricted to 123-8.

Meg Austin and Mary Taylor top-scored with 31 apiece for the visitors, who lost wickets at regular intervals and struggled to build partnerships.

Warwickshire elected to bat and Austin set the tone, twice driving Alex Griffiths for four in an opening over that yielded 14. Turning to spin, Somerset claimed two wickets in as many overs, Abi Freeborn slicing a delivery from Skelton to point and Georgia Redmayne playing across the line to slow left armer Barnes and losing off stump with the score 26-2.

But Austin continued to hold sway, moving confidently to 31 from 26 balls with four boundaries to keep Midland ambition on track. The in-form opener succumbed to Erin Vukusic's slower ball, miss-timing a drive to long off. Worse followed for the Bears, Skelton running out former Western Storm teammate Nat Wraith in the act of coming back for a second as the visitors slipped to 53-4.

Somerset further turned the screw, Barnes persuading Charis Pavely to drive loosely to Learoyd at extra cover as Warwickshire lurched to 65-5 at halfway. Amu Surenkumar then fell to Lola Harris’s wrist spin, held at backward point by Ruby Davis, and Niamh Holland dismissed Alexa Stonehouse in near-identical fashion as the Bears further subsided to 72-7.

Millie Taylor fell to the returning Skelton, but twin sister Mary Taylor remained at large to raise an unbeaten 31 from 32 balls and at least effect a partial recovery.

Somerset’s reply got off to a flying start, Sophie Luff and Bex Odgers accruing six boundaries between them. Both fell with the score on 38, Odgers hoisting Stonehouse to deep mid-wicket and Luff falling lbw to Mary Taylor as the Bears fought back.

Learoyd and Holland maintained a brisk rate in a powerplay that yielded 52 runs and then combined deft placement and quick running to advance the score to 89-2 at halfway, the third wicket pair raising 50 from 33 balls to render the outcome a foregone conclusion.

Pavely bowled Learoyd for 20 with the score 92-3,  Millie Taylor removed Holland, superbly held by Austin at point, and Katie Jones succumbed to Georgia Davis as the Bears kept fighting. But Griffiths and Skelton then joined forces to help the home side over the finish line with plenty in hand. 

Somerset 126-5 (Holland 42), beat Warwickshire 123-8 by five wickets