Anya inspires Storm to dramatic victory

Anya Shrubsole scored a brilliant unbeaten 61 as Western Storm opened their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign with a dramatic one-wicket victory over North West Thunder at Bristol.

Chasing 292 to win in 50 overs, Storm looked to be down and out when Heather Knight was dismissed for 91 in the 37th over. But England World Cup winner Shrubsole smashed 6 fours and 3 sixes in an extraordinary 41-ball innings, hitting Sophie Ecclestone for the winning boundary off the final ball of the match to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Emma Lamb had earlier posted a brilliant century as North West Thunder raised 191-8. The opening bat top-scored with 121 from 105 balls and shared in a third-wicket stand of 177 in 27 overs with overseas signing Piepa Cleary, who contributed 79 on debut. Shrubsole weighed in with three wickets as part of a superb all-round performance, while Georgia Hennessy claimed 3-57.

England captain Knight represented Storm’s best hope and she shrugged off the loss of Lauren Parfitt, Sophie Luff, Hennessy and Nat Wraith to almost single-handedly keep the contest alive, posting a 60-ball 50. But the requirement was for a big hundred and, when Knight, having scored 91 from 90 balls with 12 fours and a six, attempted to pull Cleary, she top-edged a catch behind with a further 97 runs still needed from 13 overs.

Slow left armer Hannah Jones then made a double intervention, accounting for Fi Morris and Gibson in the 39th over, after which Shrubsole picked up the cudgels with stunning effect in an unbroken last wicket stand of 43 with Lauren Filer.