Western team cook up a Storm on another great Finals Day

Kia Super League Finals Day Western Storm won the Kia Super League final after a brilliant 78 not out by captain Heather Knight helped seal a six-wicket win over Southern Vipers at Hove.

It was harsh on the Vipers, who had played a full part in turning another finals day on their home ground into a major spectacle enjoyed by a large crowd.

The 2017 winners pulled off a KSL final record chase of 173 with an over to spare with Knight – trumping a superb 73 by England team-mate Danni Wyatt in Vipers’ 172 for 7 and becoming the only player in the tournament’s four-year history to pass 1,000 runs.

Storm lost opener Smriti Mandhana in the first over but Knight, Rachel Priest (27) and Fran Wilson (18) got the innings back on track.

They needed 64 off eight overs after Wilson and Sophie Luff departed but the bighitting Deepti Sharma gave Knight support in an unbroken stand of 71 in 33 balls.

They got it down to 23 from three overs and Sharma hit Wyatt’s off spin for successive fours.

In the penultimate over she hit Bates for three boundaries, striking her over long off to seal victory.

The Indian all-rounder, who had taken the vital wicket of Wyatt, finished on 39 off 22 deliveries while Knight scored her runs off 53 with nine boundaries and three sixes.

Vipers will feel they let a winning position slip, though there was something special about the ball striking of Knight and Sharma towards the end.

Leg-spinner Amanda Jade-wellington took 2-31 but Lauren Bell conceded 12 in extras and the normally reliable Bates went for 39 from her four.

Vipers had been indebted to another brilliant performance by Wyatt, who made 73 off 42 balls to take her top of the tournament scorers with 466, including five 50s.

Wyatt and Bates had put on 71 in the powerplay in their semifinal win over Loughborough Lightning and this time they gave their side another great platform with 62 in six overs.

Bates had 26 off 19 balls out of an opening stand of 65 when she was superbly caught off her own bowling by Sonia Odedra, but skipper Tammy Beaumont ensured their momentum was maintained by helping Wyatt add 69 for the second wicket.

Beaumont was dropped off successive balls in the 12th over when she was on ten.

Wyatt reached 50 off 27 balls and was looking to clear the rope for the third time when she was caught by Anya Shrubsole in the 15th over.

She hit ten fours and two sixes.

Maia Bouchier was run out without facing off the next ball and Storm had another breakthrough in the 16th over when Shrubsole picked up Beaumont for 33 to a catch at fine leg. Storm had fought back well by only conceding 55 runs in the last eight overs.

Earlier, Vipers delighted the locals by beating Loughborough Lightning by five wickets with an over to spare in their semi-final. Amanda-jade Wellington and Paige Scholfield celebrate as Southern Vipers win the semi-final