Sterre Kalis hit a thrilling maiden List A century and Phoebe Turner claimed a sensational six-wicket haul in a convincing 68-run victory over Lancashire Thunder that puts Northern Diamonds top of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table with two games remaining in the group stage.
Diamonds, champions in 2022, are on the verge of qualifying for the semi-finals with 37 points, 10 ahead of fifth-placed The Blaze, who have two games left and only 10 points to platy for.
Diamonds’ superior net run-rate is likely to be the deciding factor, and only one more win is now needed for a top-two finish and a home semi-final on September 14.
After Lauren Winfield-Hill (50) and Emma Marlow posted a 95-run opening stand at Southport, a century partnership between Kalis and Beth Langston for the fifth wicket took the Diamonds to 290-6.
Kalis finished with 100 off 95 balls – her first regional century – and Langston 58 not out off 53 after the visitors had been inserted.
And that proved to be too many for the Thunder, who collapsed from 162-2 to 204 all out as Turner ran amok with 6-20 from nine overs of seam. Langston added to her excellent day with two wickets.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Sterre Kalis scored a fabulous century to help Diamonds go top of the table.
Alice Clarke and Emma Lamb had started the Thunder run chase brightly, taking 38 from the opening five overs. But Rachel Slater removed Clarke lbw for 14 and, after 20 runs had been added, bowled Lamb for 19.
Eve Jones, back with the Thunder on loan from Central Sparks, and Seren Smale rebuilt steadily as light rain fell, with both sides suddenly keeping an eye on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method (DLS) par score as the match progressed at Trafalgar Road, the home of Southport and Birkdale CC.
The sides were level at the 13-over mark after 13 runs had been plundered off one Langston over, with Thunder 82-2.
And the Lancashire duo kept up the pressure with some fine strokeplay to stay ahead of the required rate.
They reached their 50 partnership from 52 balls, and at the 25-over halfway point were well placed on 130-2, needing a further 161 to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
The Diamonds attack plugged away and were rewarded moments after the Thunder duo had reached their century partnership.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Beth Langston contributed with bat and then ball at a venue just a nine iron away from the famous Royal Birkdale Golf Club.
Turner returned for a second spell to bowl Smale for 48, and Langston produced a double-wicket maiden having Eve Jones caught at extra cover by Hollie Armitage for 57 and then bowling home skipper Ellie Threlkeld second ball.
Suddenly, the game had swung dramatically the way of the visitors, with Thunder 166-5 in the 31st over.
Turner continued to press home the Diamonds’ advantage with a double strike in the 33rd over, bowling Naomi Dattani for six with a well disguised slower ball and having Tara Norris caught behind second ball (177-7 in the 34th over).
And Turner wasn’t finished, taking the final three Thunder wickets without conceding a run in 11 balls, when bowling Fi Morris, Hannah Jones and Phoebe Graham.
Her team-mates call her Tina, and this was definitely Simply The Best!
The bowling backed up a strong batting performance that began with Winfield-Hill and Marlow getting Diamonds off to excellent start after being put in, taking 23 runs from the first three overs and 48 off the 10-over powerplay.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Lauren Winfield-Hill made a successful return from CPL duty.
Marlow was the more aggressive, driving and cutting to good effect as the Diamonds took advantage of some loose Thunder bowling
But Winfield-Hill was soon into her stride with a series of nicely timed drives – fresh from Caribbean Premier League duty. She only flew home yesterday, on the same flight as the returning Erin Burns.
The hosts countered with some tight overs of spin, but the Diamonds openers had built an excellent platform of 95 runs by the 20th over before two wickets in four balls brought Thunder some relief.
Winfield-Hill, who had survived a sharp caught and bowled chance off Sophie Morris on 14, posted an otherwise flawless fifty from 59 balls that included six fours. But she was bowled off the next delivery after playing back to left-arm spinner Hannah Jones.
And the Diamonds suffered a big blow four balls later when captain Hollie Armitage was bowled for nought by a seaming Naomi Dattani delivery.
Phoebe Graham kept up the pressure by having Marlow caught for 45 off a leading edge at point, the first ball after the 25-over drinks break to leave the Diamonds 116-3.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Erin Burns is back with the Diamonds for the remainder of the season.
Overseas all-rounder Burns perished for 10 attempting to hit Hannah Jones over mid-on, where Norris took a smart catch to have the innings in the balance at 136-4 after 30.
Kalis had taken 13 balls to get off the mark, but the Netherlands international quickly pressed the accelerator once she had twice pulled Dattani for four through mid-wicket, adding six more boundaries in reaching an excellent fifty off 64 balls and dominating a 50-partnership with Langston.
And Kalis made the Thunder pay for a missed chance by Fi Morris on the mid-wicket boundary the ball after reaching her half-century by moving relentlessly to her maiden List A ton off 94 balls, including 17 fours.
She then drove Dattani to cover moments later – 247-5 in the 47th.
Langston provided the perfect support by rotating the strike and contributing just 20 runs in the century partnership with Kalis. But she also hit out to good effect during the closing overs, driving former Diamond Graham for the only six of the innings and hitting seven fours in a half-century which boosted a total that proved more than enough.
Diamonds face second-placed Southern Vipers at Headingley on Wednesday.
