Summary

  • South East Stars reach 139-5 to win final by five wickets

  • Alice Capsey's 40 not out sees them home after slump from 71-0 to 85-4

  • Northern Diamonds totalled 138-4 in the final after opting to bat first

  • Skipper Hollie Armitage top scored for Diamonds with 59 not out off 48 balls

  • Earlier, Diamonds beat Southern Vipers by 18 runs in eliminator game

  • England's Lauren Winfield-Hill hit 65 off 49 balls for Diamonds

  • Jenny Gunn made 22 not out in their score of 135-6

  • Vipers were bowled out for 117; Gunn taking 4-26

Live Reporting

Adam Williams and Paul Grunill

  1. Stars 32-0 - target 139

    Smith 17, Cranstone 13

    SmithGetty Images

    Bryony Smith thumps Jenny Gunn away for four in her favourite leg-side arc and is then gifted a single from a square cut by a mis-field.

    Aylish Cranstone shows a deft touch as she runs the ball away to the rope at third man and Smith completes a highly satisfactory over for the Stars with a boundary over mid-off - 15 off it.

  2. Stars 17-0 - target 139

    Smith 8, Cranstone 7

    Bryony Smith shows aggressive intent by biffing Rachel Slater over the ring, but it only brings her two runs, followed by a single.

    Slater sends down two leg-side wides before Aylish Cranstone swishes a short-of-a-length delivery down to long leg for four.

    The over ends with Smith again lofting through the leg-side, but this time her timing is excellent and it runs away for another boundary.

  3. Robbie James
    BBC Radio Solent commentator

    I think the game is really hard to call and finely-poised. Who is going to win? Ask me again after 19 overs!

  4. Jemma Green
    Former Hampshire Women player

    From watching it up here, the wicket has looked a little bit sticky and tricky to bat on, especially when you first come to the crease.

  5. Adam Williams
    BBC Sport at the Ageas Bowl

    ABBBC Sport

    An absolutely glorious evening for the conclusion of this first Charlotte Edwards Cup final.

    The Ageas Bowl has certainly put on its game face for this occasion.

    Can summer just continue for a few more months please?!

  6. Stars 3-0 - target 139

    Smith 1, Cranstone 2

    A sedate start by South East Stars - but it's a near thing for Aylish Cranstone as Linsey Smith goes past the outside edge with her final delivery.

  7. Jemma Green
    Former Hampshire Women player

    You never want to see a team skittled out for not very many. We haven't got that. It's a competitive tournament, you want to see a competitive final like this one.

  8. The Diamonds team are out in the middle.

    Aylish Cranstone and skipper Bryony Smith will open for South East Stars - and they need a balance between a positive approach and preserving wickets in the early stages of their innings.

    Linsey Smith will bowl the first over.

  9. Stars untested in run-chases

    South East Stars made three scores over 160 in the group stage - but they were batting first on each occasion.

    They won both matches in which they batted second. However, scores of 118-5 and 108-4 were all that was needed - so they are untested when chasing a target requiring a scoring rate above six an over.

    The exact rate they need today is 6.95.

  10. Time for some northern comfort?

    Northern Diamonds 138-4 v South East Stars - interval

    There hasn't been much joy for northern cricket fans so far this summer.

    Glamorgan won the One-Day Cup, Oval Invincibles (women) and Southern Brave (men) came out on top in The Hundred, and Somerset are the most northerly of the four counties to have reached T20 Blast Finals Day.

    Will Northern Diamonds buck the trend by successful defending their total at the Ageas Bowl and lifting the Charlotte Edwards Cup?

  11. Well, we will find out just how good a score that is very soon as Stars try and chase it down to be crowned inaugural Charlotte Edwards Cup winners.

    To take you through their run-chase, it will be Paul Grunill...

  12. Stars need 139 to win

    ArmitageGetty Images

    Again that feels like a very good score to defend.

    Diamonds' innings followed an almost identical pattern to that against Vipers in the eliminator.

    Despite losing two early wickets in the powerplay they rebuilt steadily with some handy middle-order partnerships and had wickets in had at the end to have a go.

    Hollie Armitage with the stand-out knock, which could well prove to be a match-winning one in a couple of hours.

  13. Henry Moeran
    Commentator on BBC Test Match Special

    That's really well played, the Diamonds will be happy with that conclusion of the innings. It'll be a good chase for the Stars.

  14. Diamonds 138-4

    Just the one boundary in that final over for Diamonds, but Jenny Gunn and Hollie Armitage do still manage to scamper back for a few more.

    Two off the last ball from Gunn brings up a 50 partnership for that fifth wicket.

    Diamonds finish on 138-4 with Gunn again 22 not out and Armitage unbeaten on 59 off 48 balls.

    Stars will need 139 to win, which is three more than the Vipers were set earlier.

  15. Diamonds 133-4

    Jenny Gunn pulls uppish and wide of long-on.

    Four!

  16. Alice Capsey to bowl the final over then...

  17. Diamonds 128-4

    Armitage 55, Gunn 16

    A real mixture of paces in that final over from Alice Davidson-Richards and it pays off as Diamonds can't get one away for a boundary.

    Still seven runs off it though.

  18. Henry Moeran
    Commentator on BBC Test Match Special

    There's not a breath of wind around the ground. Plenty of supporters in the Shane Warne stand will be grateful for the shade. The ground is quick and it's getting quicker.

  19. Alice Davidson-Richards to bowl the penultimate over of this innings...

  20. Diamonds 121-4

    Armitage 50, Gunn 14

    And Jenny Gunn straights drives the last ball of that Bryony Smith over for four.

    She's at it again!