Kalis ton helps Diamonds beat Thunder to go top

Dutch international Sterre Kalis hit her first List A century, having reached three figures for the first time in a T20 game for her country against Germany in La Manga in 2019

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Trafalgar Road, Southport

Northern Diamonds 290-6 (50 overs): Kalis 100, Langston 58*, Winfield-Hill 50; Jones 2-37, Dattani 2-48

Lancashire Thunder 204 (38 overs): Jones 57; Turner 6-20, Slater 2-24, Langston 2-55

Northern Diamonds win by 86 runs

Match scorecard

Northern Diamonds are on the verge of qualifying for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy semi-finals after hammering Lancashire Thunder at Southport to return to the top of the table.

With just two qualifying group games left, Diamonds are on 37 points, 10 points ahead of The Blaze, in fifth.

Sterre Kalis hit a thrilling maiden List A century and Phoebe Turner claimed a first five-wicket haul as they won by 86 runs, but the home defeat leaves Thunder struggling to make the knockout stages.

After Lauren Winfield-Hill and Emma Marlow posted a 95-run opening stand, a century partnership between Kalis and Beth Langston for the fifth wicket took the Diamonds to 290-6 and that proved to be too many for the Thunder despite a century stand between Eve Jones and Seren Smale.

Jones and Smale rebuilt steadily to reach halfway on 130-2, needing a further 161 off the final 25 overs - but they slumped from 163-2 to 204 all out.

Turner returned to bowl Smale for 48 and Langston, who had earlier made a speedy 58 not out with the bat, then produced a double-wicket maiden having Jones caught at extra cover for 57 and then bowling skipper Ellie Threlkeld second ball.

Turner ran through the rest of the Thunder line-up with a superb second spell to finish with 6-20 as the last eight wickets went down inside nine overs for just 35.

Remaining fixtures

Wednesday 4 September

Radlett: Sunrisers v Western Storm

Moseley: Central Sparks v South East Stars

Sale: Lancashire Thunder v The Blaze

Headingley: Northern Diamonds v Southern Vipers

Friday 6 September

Queen's Park, Chesterfield: The Blaze v Central Sparks

Saturday 7 September

Chester-le-Street: Northern Diamonds v South East Stars

Taunton: Western Storm v Lancashire Thunder

Southampton: Southern Vipers v Sunrisers

Saturday 14 September

Semi-Finals Day: Venues to be confirmed

Saturday 21 September

Final: County Ground, Leicester

All games 10:30 BST