Northern Diamonds started their defence of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy with an emphatic 105-run victory over Western Storm at Headingley.
Half-centuries from Lauren Winfield-Hill (75), Bess Heath (71) and South African debutant Chloe Tryon (63) took Diamonds to a commanding whole of 290-8 off a rain-reduced 37 overs.
In reply, Storm had been bowled out for 185 in 33.3 overs, with leg-spinner Katie Levick claiming 4-36, together with her three hundredth profession wicket. Former England batter Fran Wilson top-scored with 43.
In the shock results of the opening spherical of fixtures, Sunrisers lastly gained a primary RHF Trophy match on the twenty first time of asking as they thrashed two-time champions Southern Vipers by 126 runs.
England U19s captain Grace Scrivens struck an outstanding 67 on the prime of the order, whereas Mady Villiers top-scored with 70 and Jodi Grewcock (69) additionally hit a half century as Sunrisers managed 288-7 from their 50 overs.
Despite Maia Bouchier getting the Vipers run-chase off to a flier with 57 off 48 balls, Charlotte Edwards’ aspect in the end crumbled to 162 all out in 35.2 overs as Scotland leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood claimed 5-30. Villiers additionally took 3-52 to cap a tremendous all-round show.
It’s Sunrisers’ second victory as a group, following a solitary success within the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2021.
Elsewhere, a debut century by Paige Scholfield propelled South East Stars to a record-equalling rating of 334-5 in a convincing 131-run victory over Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford.
Scholfield, enjoying her first recreation for the Stars after signing from the Vipers, blasted an unbeaten 111 from simply 90 deliveries, hitting 5 sixes and 11 fours. She shared in a 143-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Alice Davidson-Richards, who contributed an aesthetic 73 off 58 balls.
The Stars’ whole equalled the best rating made in simply over three seasons of regional cricket and the Thunder by no means threatened to chase down the required runs as they had been bowled out for 203 in 42 overs.
At Trent Bridge, off-spinner Lucy Higham performed the starring position with career-best figures of 5-19 as The Blaze made a profitable debut in regional ladies’s cricket, launching their RHF Trophy marketing campaign with a 59-run defeat of Central Sparks.
Opener Tammy Beaumont top-scored with 60 for The Blaze, backed up by England colleague Sarah Glenn (38) and Georgie Boyce (28), although the newly-formed East Midlands group had been in the end bowled out for 212 in 46.4 overs.
England fast Issy Wong was out of types with the ball for Sparks, bowling 5 wicketless overs for 28 runs, however Emily Arlott (3-41), Grace Potts (3-46) and spinner Georgia Davis (3-33) all chipped in with three wickets apiece.
In reply, nobody might produce the stand-out efficiency required with the bat. Katie George top-scored with 31 at quantity eight as Higham rattled by the order to bowl Sparks out for 153 in 48.2 overs.
