Southern Vipers edged out in Kia Super League Final

Mignon du Preez and Hayley Matthews both contributed with the bat, but Southern Vipers suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Western Storm in the 2017 Kia Super League final at Hove on Friday.

An all-round team performance, led by both du Preez (31) and Matthews (31) saw Southern Vipers posted 145-5 from their 20 overs.

In reply, Arran Brindle (1-17), Katie George (1-34) and Linsey Smith (1-39) took a wicket apiece, but Western Storm chased down the required total with two overs to spare to seal the title.

Despite being put into bat, Matthews led the charge, continuing her form from the win over Yorkshire Diamonds with a flurry of early boundaries as Vipers moved to 21-0 after the opening four overs.

Matthews continued to strike the ball with intent, regularly crunching the ball to the rope, guiding her side to a healthy position on 38-0 at the end of the powerplay.

Matthews then got a leading edge and chipped it back to Stafanie Taylor as the first wicket of the game fell with the Vipers on 47-1.

Suzie Bates then smashed the first maximum of the final as her side raced past 50. Taylor then claimed the wickets of Georgia Adams (2) and Bates (21) in quick succession as the Vipers fell from 58-1 to 63-3.

Danni Wyatt and Mignon du Preez then combined on their home ground to move their side out of a potentially tricky situation, with Southern Vipers moving into three figures.

However, Wyatt (21) fell to a smart catch in the deep by Hennessy as her side moved onto 108-4 with four overs remaining at Hove.

Du Preez continued the momentum, was dismissed by a terrific catch from Sophie Dibble diving away to her left as the Vipers moved onto 117-5 with less than three overs remaining.

Some aggressive batting from both Charlotte Edwards and Arran Brindle moved the Vipers up to 128-5 with one over remaining.

The pair then took advantage, smashing 17 runs off the final over, with Edwards (20*) striking three consecutive boundaries in a thrilling eight-ball innings.

Rachel Priest got off to a fast start in reply, frequently finding the boundary rope as the game hung in the balance with Storm scoring 19 runs off the opening three overs.

Linsey Smith then broke the partnership with a wonderful delivery to dismiss England captain Heather Knight (6) as Western Storm were reduced to 28-1.

Priest continued to bat aggressively, hitting a number of boundaries as the New Zealand opener brought up her half-century off just 26 balls to move her side to a strong position on 62-1 after the powerplay.

The Western Storm opener was batting with flair and aggression, but Brindle took the key wicket on Fran Wilson (8) to leave the opposition on 84-2 after nine overs.

Katie George then came on and struck in her opening over, with Priest (71) holing out to Wyatt at deep mid-wicket as Southern Vipers made a huge breakthrough.

Sophie Luff then edged two boundaries to take her side into three figures, whilst further drama followed with Taylor pulling up with a hamstring injury and requiring a runner.

Luff continued to play some neat cricketing strokes with Storm advancing to 123-3 after 14 overs, with Southern Vipers in need of a breakthrough.

That wicket did not come, as Luff (30*) and Taylor (30*) guided Western Storm to the Kia Super League title after 18 overs.