Heather Knight stars as Somerset cruise to victory over Essex

The former England captain took 3 for 7 with the ball to help limit the visitors to 184 all out before she made 45 to joint top-score in the chase

Taunton Vale: Essex 184, Somerset 185-5 - Somerset won by five wickets

Heather Knight staged an outstanding all-round performance to propel Somerset to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Essex in the Women's One-Day Cup at Taunton Vale.

The England international claimed 3 for 7 with the ball and then added 45 crucial runs with the bat as the cider county ultimately made light work of the chase beneath blue skies and sunshine to register a second win in three games and send a crowd of several hundred home happy.

Put into bat on a worn pitch, Essex slipped to 2 for 3 and 50 for 5 in the face of accurate seam bowling from Laura Jackson (2 for 12) and Ellie Anderson (2 for 44).

Related: "I felt like sometimes I was getting left behind a little bit" - Sophia Smale relishes new chapter at Essex

Related: Project Darwin burns slowly in Beckenham chill before igniting for epic finale

Amara Carr redressed the balance with a defiant innings of 67 from 92 balls with five fours, only for Knight to mop up the tail with her off breaks as Essex were dismissed for an inadequate 184 in 42.5 overs.

Knight, Sophie Luff and Fran Wilson all contributed useful runs to carry Somerset to within sight of their target before the irrepressible Charlie Dean raised a quickfire 45 not out from 49 balls with 6 fours as Somerset won with 14.1 overs in hand.

Related Topics

• The Blaze brains trust fights off Bears
• Project Darwin burns slowly in Beckenham chill before igniting for epic finale
• Ella McCaughan century inspires Hampshire, Surrey finally off the mark
• Surrey's England stars impress in front of Charlotte Edwards
• Durham thump Essex, Lancashire ease past The Blaze