South East Stars 296 for 7 (Scholfield 134*, Smith 50) beat Western Storm 89 (Capsey 6-28) by 207 runs

Continuing her excellent begin to the marketing campaign, in-form Scholfield scored 134 not out in entrance of watching England head coach Jon Lewis, dominating a seventh-wicket stand of 128 with Tash Farrant and guaranteeing Stars recovered from 19 for 3 and 74 for 4 to publish an imposing 296 for 7 after successful the toss and electing to bat first on a used pitch.

Skipper Bryony Smith weighed in with 50 on a day when the remainder of the highest order failed, whereas new-ball bowlers Lauren Filer and Dani Gibson claimed three wickets apiece to maintain Storm within the hunt.

In great type already this season, Scholfield produced the products simply when her crew most wanted it. Dismissed for 129 and closely overwhelmed by Southern Vipers final outing, Stars once more discovered themselves in a decent scenario at 19 for 3, the cream of their high order returned to the dressing room inside eight overs.

Openers Kira Chathli and Capsey fell to successive deliveries, the previous lured into front-foot indiscretion by Gibson and mistiming a drive to mid-off, the latter shedding off stump to a Lauren Filer inswinger. Worse adopted when England worldwide Alice Davidson-Richards tried to chop Gibson and was brilliantly caught by Fran Wilson at backward level.

Captain Smith carried the struggle to Storm, harvesting eight boundaries in a 43-ball 50 and dominating a progressive stand of 57 with Jemima Spence for the fourth wicket. But when she chanced her arm as soon as too usually and hit the following ball, bowled by Chloe Skelton, straight down the throat of long-on, Stars have been 74 for 4 and the innings nonetheless within the stability.

Necessarily circumspect to start with, Spence and Scholfield went about rebuilding in assured style. As the solar got here out and situations eased, in order that they allowed themselves to change into extra expansive, including 66 for the fifth wicket in 18.3 overs earlier than Filer returned to bowl Spence for 29 with a slower ball yorker. Gibson then trapped Phoebe Franklin in her crease for 9 to cut back the guests to 160 for 6 within the thirty seventh over, however Scholfield shortly dashed any hopes Storm may need harboured of limiting their opponents to a below-par whole.

Now in full circulate, the South African-born allrounder performed with actual panache, opening her shoulders and going for her pictures to drive Storm onto the again foot for the primary time. Having gone to 50 from 62 balls, she required simply 30 deliveries extra to boost three figures, reaching that landmark with a hard-hit 4 to cow nook on the expense of Alex Griffiths. It was her second hundred in three innings this season following exhausting on the heels of the 111 not out she scored in a successful trigger towards Thunder at Old Trafford 9 days earlier.

Farrant proved the proper foil, initially rotating the strike and operating exhausting between the wickets, earlier than herself happening the assault through the closing overs. The England star contributed a beneficial 45 in 32 balls, together with 5 fours, and performed her half in a panoramic partnership of 128 in 12.5 overs earlier than falling to Filer within the last over.

Try as they may, there was nothing Storm's hard-pressed bowlers may do to test Scholfield's murderous progress, the 27-year-old holding sway for 109 balls, serving to herself to 14 fours and three sixes to propel her facet to a place of power that had appeared very unlikely earlier within the day.

Gibson and Filer returned figures of three for 42 and three for 60 respectively however, in the primary, it was exhausting going for Storm's bowlers.

As a lot as they required a quick begin, Storm's reply was annoyed by some naggingly correct bowling, particularly from the ever present Farrant and Scholfield. Emma Corney helped Griffiths add 39 for the primary wicket earlier than succumbing to Alexa Stonehouse, at which level the hosts have been little question hoping for a repeat efficiency from new signing Orla Prendergast, who made 100 on debut towards Thunder at Cardiff two days earlier. There was to be no repeat on this event, the Ireland allrounder chipping Capsey to mid-off and departing for 16 to go away Storm on 59 for two within the twenty first over, needing to attain at greater than eight an over.

When skilled campaigner Wilson was held at brief fantastic leg off the bowling of Smith with out scoring within the very subsequent over, Griffiths adopted her again to the pavilion 4 balls later, caught and bowled by Capsey for 21 and Gibson provided a return catch to Smith, Storm have been 81 for five and staring down the barrel of defeat.

Storm's demise unfolded with indecent haste thereafter, Smith having Nat Wraith caught behind off the best of edges and Capsey mopping up the tail, accounting for Niamh Holland, Sophia Smale, Filer and Claire Nicholas in fast succession.