Hampshire secure semi-final as Lancashire stay on course

WOMEN'S ONE DAY CUP ROUNDUP: Somerset were well beaten, while there was a rare One Day Cup win for Essex on a rain-affected afternoon in the women's 50-over competition

Chester-le-Street: Durham 224-9, Hampshire 174-1 - Hampshire won by nine wickets (DLS) 

Leaders Hampshire Women clinched a semi-final berth in the Metro Bank One Day Cup after a convincing nine-wicket victory with 13.2 overs to spare against Durham Women at the Banks Homes Riverside.

The defeat leaves Durham in fifth place with two rounds to play, one point behind fourth-placed Surrey with the two sides meeting in the final group match at Chester-le-Street next Saturday.

Initially chasing a target of 225, Hampshire opening pair of Maia Bouchier and Rhianna Southby produced an attacking start that saw 74 runs arrive from the ten over powerplay and they had raced along with some fine strokeplay to reach 144 for 0 from 19 overs when rain took 13 overs out of the game. A revised DLS target of 171 in 37 overs made little difference, and despite the loss of Southby for 58, Bouchier (92 not out) and Freya Kemp (9 not out) quickly scored the 27 needed to clinch an impressive victory.

Earlier, a fighting 88 by captain Hollie Armitage had given Durham some hope with the hosts posting 224 for 9 after a poor start. Armitage came to the crease in the eighth over and batted through to the last, hitting nine fours, but found partnerships difficult to come by until Grace Thompson finally provided great support for the eighth wicket. The pair added 72 to rescue Durham from a perilous 144 for 7, with 18-year-old Thompson contributing a List A career-best 39.

Taunton Vale: The Blaze 252-6, Somerset 169 - The Blaze won by 44 runs (DLS)

Sisters Kathryn and Sarah Bryce scored half centuries to guide The Blaze to a 44-run bonus-point victory over Somerset on DLS in a rain-shortened Metro Bank One Day Cup match at Taunton Vale Sports Ground.

Sarah Bryce top-scored with 68 from 54 balls, hit 12 fours and shared in an opening stand of 76 inside 10 overs with Georgie Boyce as The Blaze posted 252 for 6 in a contest reduced to 33 overs-a-side. Kathryn Bryce then made 63 not out from 60 balls with eight fours, staging a partnership of 72 with Orla Prendergast, who weighed in with a forthright 46. Charlie Dean did her best to keep Somerset in contention, returning figures of 3 for 50 from seven overs.

Chasing a revised target of 214 in 26 overs, Somerset never recovered from the wreckage of 9 for 4, Cassidy McCarthy taking three wickets in a devastating eight-ball burst that all but settled the outcome during the powerplay. Amanda-Jade Wellington raised a defiant 28-ball 53 and Fran Wilson hit 33, but McCarthy finished with 3 for 12 as the home side were bowled out for 169 in 22.2 overs.

Victory cemented The Blaze's position in the top three and materially improved their prospects of making the final stages of the 50-over competition, but Somerset are now out of contention with two games remaining.

^{Kalea Moore's half century was in vain for Surrey (Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)}

Beckenham: Surrey 225, Lancashire 227-6 - Lancashire won by four wickets

Lancashire Women stayed on course for the Metro Bank Cup semi-finals with a four-wicket win over Surrey at Beckenham.

Grace Potts took 3 for 31 as Surrey were bowled out for 225, while Hannah Jones took 2 for 33 and was unlucky not to get two more.

Kalea Moore was dropped twice off her bowling, and she cashed in to make a career-best List A score of 67, while Alexa Stonehouse was the next highest scorer with 48.

Seren Smale anchored the visitors' reply with 67 not out, as they closed on 227 for 6, with 24 balls remaining. Alexa Stonehouse was the pick of Surrey's bowlers with 3 for 34.

Edgbaston Community Sports Ground: Essex 235-7, Bears 204-8 - Essex won by 31 runs (DLS)

Essex secured some belated joy from their disappointing Metro Bank Women's One Day Cup campaign with a 31-run (DLS) victory over Warwickshire at the Edgbaston Community Sports Ground.

Put in, the visitors totalled 235 for 7 from 32 overs either side of a long rainstorm which arrived in the 13th over. Jo Gardner top-scored with 47 (34 balls) while Bears captain Georgia Davis took 4 for 35.

Facing a revised DLS target of 232 from 32 overs, Warwickshire mustered only 204 for 8 in murky light despite an accomplished maiden half century from 18-year-old Amu Surenkumar (56). Her teammates were unpicked by an attack led by Abtaha Maqsood (3 for 34) and Esmae MacGregor (3 for 38) as Essex recorded only their second win in 12 50-over games this season.