Somerset 161 for 3 (Learoyd 70*) beat Warwickshire 160 (Surenkumar 58, Barnes 4-24, Harris 4-32) by seven wickets
Warwickshire made a flying start to their innings, Georgia Redmayne and Surenkumar piling on 65 in 9.1 overs, these two taking full advantage of inconsistent line and length from the Somerset seamers to plunder 10 boundaries in a productive powerplay.
Barnes struck with her first ball, producing bounce and turn to dismiss Redmayne for a run-a-ball 32. Strong off her legs, Surenkumar continued to thrive, going to a well-crafted half century via 53 deliveries with nine fours as the visitors raised 100 inside 18 overs. Meg Austin fell lbw to Niamh Holland’s slower ball and departed for 17 with the score 112 for 2, but Katie George timed the ball sweetly in making 31 from 33 deliveries as Warwickshire advanced their score to 146-2 at halfway.
With the ball sticking in the pitch, Somerset’s spinners effected a remarkable transformation thereafter, Surenkumar hitting a delivery from Harris to Ellie Anderson at short square leg to spark a startling collapse. Harris then had new batter Charis Paveley stumped to complete a double wicket maiden, and Barnes bowled George to confirm Somerset dominance.
Abi Freeborn was bowled by Harris, Mary Taylor was run out by Katie Jones and Bears skipper Georgia Davis was brilliantly caught by Alex Griffiths at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of Barnes as Warwickshire paid the price for pushing too hard. Alexa Stonehouse then drove Harris to extra cover and Hannah Baker was bowled by Barnes as the spinners wrapped up the innings in double quick-time.
Although Bex Odgers was run out by Paveley, Somerset’s chase was buoyed by a progressive second-wicket alliance of 39 between Sophie Luff and Learoyd. Stonehouse induced Luff to top-edge a pull shot to backward point and depart for 34 and Holland hit to mid-wicket off the bowling of Davis with the score 86-3, but Australia A batter Learoyd remained at large to calm West Country nerves.
Afforded a life on 31 when dropped by Paveley at short mid-wicket, Learoyd made Warwickshire pay, smiting a delivery from Davis for six over long-on as Somerset went to three figures in the fourteenth. She found a willing ally in Jess Hazell, who contributed a quickfire 32 in a stand of 75 to render the outcome a foregone conclusion.
Playing ostensibly off the back foot and demonstrating impressive precision, Learoyd found the gaps with sufficient regularity to go to 50 via 47 deliveries
