Kia Super League

Western Storm 93/1 beat Southern Vipers 91 by 9 wkts

Smriti Mandhana continued her glittering start to the Kia Super League as the Indian star smashed 43 not out to hand Western Storm a bonus point victory over Southern Vipers.

In a re-match of both the 2016 and 2017 finals, Vipers were blown away by the Storm having been bowled out for their lowest ever total of 91.

Mandhana, on the back of an unbeaten 52, 37 and 48 to start the campaign crashed 43 off 27 to set up a nine wicket victory.

Heather Knight won the toss and elected to bowl on a green tinged wicket under unblemished blue skies.

And it took until the third over for the Storm to make their first breakthrough, as Danielle Wyatt was caught behind off Anya Shrubsole attempting to guide a shot down to third man.

Claire Nicholas grabbed her first wicket of the match when she bowled Mignon du Preez – Vipers reaching 28 for two at the end of the powerplay.

Sara McGlashan was the only Vipers batsman to appear in any comfort at the crease, with the South African crashing a maximum straight down the ground.

But while McGlashan stroked the ball around, wickets kept on falling at the other end.

Captain Suzie Bates was slightly unlucky to be caught and bowled by Danielle Gibson – with the ball nestling in the bowler’s midriff.

Arran Brindle was given a life when she was dropped at fine leg, with Nicholas brilliantly diving forward but just failing to hang on.

But the missed chance didn’t prove costly as former England star Brindle was run out by a direct hit by Naomi Dattani at mid-off.

Maia Bouchier was handed her debut, with Tammy Beaumont unable to play due to the suspected concussion she sustained during Sunday’s defeat to Lancashire Thunder.

The Middlesex batsman gained a life when Rachel Priest missed a stumping, but was run out soon after by Knight.

McGlashan was then stumped for 31 to leave Vipers 63 for six as the innings long collapse continued.

The final four wickets was an example in self-destructive batting after growing frustrated at struggling to nurdle runs.

Natasha Farrant, Amelia Kerr and Katie George all departed playing either reverse sweeps or scoops.

Nicholas ended the pick of the Storm bowlers with figures of two for 17, although Shrubsole, Freya Davies, Stefanie Taylor and Knight all boasted economy rates of under a run-a-ball.

Amber Rudd was the last to depart, when she became the third run out victim, with Vipers bowled out for 91 with two overs to spare.

Priest avoided all of the gremlins the Vipers batsmen had found in the pitch by tonking 30 off 14 balls.

The opener took Farrant apart in the opening over, with two fours and a massive six down the ground, before three boundaries on the spin off George in the next overs gave the visitors a flier.

She departed when she swept Brindle to McGlashan, but it couldn’t stop the onslaught from Mandhana, wilfully accompanied by Knight.

The Indian popped Bates over the rope to go alongside five fours, with Knight ending up unbeaten on 18 – with Storm winning with 63 balls to spare.

Copy courtesy of ECB Reporters Network