Somerset Women v Lancashire Women, Metro Bank One Day Cup

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Jess Hazell produced a career-best innings to propel Somerset to a five-wicket victory over Lancashire at the Cooper Associates Ground and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s competition while the defeat ends the visitors hopes of defending their title.

The 22-year-old academy product smashed an unbeaten 77 off 85 deliveries, hit 8 fours and a six and staged stands of 55 and 97 with Emma Corney and Katie Jones for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively as Somerset chased a target of 241 with 13 balls to spare. Corney posted 51 (78 balls) and Jones 47 (39 balls) to set-up a qualification decider against Surrey at The Oval on Saturday.

Seren Smale top-scored with 82 from 106 deliveries and dominated a stand of 126 in 24 overs with Fi Morris, who made a 64-ball 56, as Lancashire made 240-9 after losing the toss. Ellie Anderson took 3-41.

Fi Morris said:
"It's disappointing not to be able to take it to the final game, but we've done well to get this close after the start we made in the competition.

"I think the fielding was probably the biggest factor in us losing this game. Somerset fielded really well and Lola Harris was especially good with the ball.
"Seren (Smale) and I have had some good partnerships recently and we were going well when I got out. We both got out at bad times and ended up 15 or 20 runs short.

"Because we've been on such a good run, we felt we could still win at halfway, but it's difficult to defend at Taunton. The match could have gone either way when Emma Corney was run out, but Katie Jones came played brilliantly to get them over the line."