Summary

  • Southern Vipers beat Central Sparks by six wickets at Northampton

  • They receive the trophy named after their coach, ex-England skipper Charlotte Edwards

  • Central Sparks made 109-8 from their 20 overs, England's Amy Jones makes 27

  • Maia Bouchier top scored with 32 as Vipers replied with 110-4 in 15.5 overs

  • Sparks (105-8) earlier beat South East Stars (104-8) by two wickets in play-off

  1. 'Stars need a partnership'published at 12:36 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    The Stars need to build a partnership and find ways of tickling along at five an over.

    If they can somehow get to the 13th or 14th over with wickets in hand, they can then look to kick on.

  2. Potts finishes impressive spellpublished at 8 overs

    Stars 29-5 v Sparks

    So, Grace Potts will bowl her four overs straight through.

    There's a single for Alice Davidson-Richards but Kalea Moore can make nothing of the final three deliveries.

    The high-stepping Potts finishes with 3-20. Well bowled!

  3. Postpublished at 7 overs

    Stars 28-5 v Sparks

    The first bowling change by Central Sparks sees England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn replace Issy Wong.

    It's a decent over, yielding just three singles. Alice Davidson-Richards is three not out and Kalea Moore has one.

  4. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 6 overs

    Franklin c A Jones b Potts 9 (Stars 25-5 v Sparks)

    Grace PottsImage source, PA Media

    Central Sparks persist with their new-ball pair as Grace Potts begins her third over.

    Alice Davidson-Richards plays the ball to mid-off and goes for a single, but she has to get a wiggle on to make her ground.

    The next ball is carved over the fielder at cover's head for four by Phoebe Franklin - not an entirely convincing shot, but more convincing than her next as she edges to Amy Jones behind the stumps.

  5. 'Sparks going in for the kill'published at 12:26 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    The Sparks are dominant and you can see with their choice of bowlers, they are going for the kill here.

    Issy Wong has bowled three of her four overs and it's the same for Potts.

    They could be even more aggressive here, have a slip in and go for (wickets) five and six.

  6. Postpublished at 5 overs

    Stars 20-4 v Sparks

    You can see why Issy Wong is seen as a future England player. She has bags of energy and enthusiasm, hits the pitch hard and has plenty of variety in her bowling as well.

    Nothing doing for the 2021 winners in that over - it's a maiden from Wong to Phoebe Franklin.

  7. Postpublished at 4 overs

    Stars 20-4 v Sparks

    What can Phoebe Franklin do in this situation?

    She starts with a boundary to backward point, but there's a near thing from the final ball of Grace Potts' second over as she tries a square cut and ball just misses the edge.

  8. 'Almighty collpase'published at 12:18 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    That is beautifully bowled. It hit the pitch and moved away and there is nothing Alice Capsey could do about that.

    I don't think there is anyone here who can believe what is happening.

    What an almighty collapse in the semi-final. I'm almost lost for words.

  9. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 3.1 overs

    Capsey b Potts 6 (Stars 15-4 v Sparks)

    Issy WongImage source, PA

    A cracking delivery from Grace Potts, which just nips away off the seam and clips the top of off stump. Alice Capsey is gone - and that is another big blow to the South East Stars' chances.

  10. 'Shot was not there'published at 12:16 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    Unlike the first two, that was quite a poor shot. The shot was not there in the circumstances.

    Cranstone is a key wicket.

  11. Postpublished at 3 overs

    Stars 15-3 v Sparks

    Alice Davidson-Richards is the new batter and four are added to the total from the first ball she faces, but they are leg byes. Issy Wong has 2-2 from her two overs so far.

  12. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 2.4 overs

    Cranstone c Potts b Wong 0 (Stars 11-3 v Sparks)

    Aylish Cranstone may be the competition's second-highest scorer but she hasn't seen much of the strike so far.

    She won't be seeing any more of it either as she top edges an attempt to pull a short delivery from Issy Wong and Grace Potts takes the catch.

    The Stars slump continues....

  13. 'No better time to find her form'published at 12:11 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    Sophia Dunkley will be disappointed with that, she's been in good form through this competition and the IPL.

    Alice Capsey is the new batter. She had a great season last year, and there will be no better time to find her form than now.

  14. Postpublished at 2 overs

    Stars 10-2 v Sparks

    Alice Capsey is under way with an excellent boundary through the off side - but South East Stars have a lot of work to do if they are to post a decent total.

  15. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Dunkley c Glenn b Potts 5 (Stars 5-2 v Sparks)

    What a start by Central Sparks.

    Sophia Dunkley clears the inner field for the game's first boundary but tries to repeat it from Grace Potts' fourth delivery and Sarah Glenn takes a good catch at mid-on.

  16. Postpublished at 1 over

    Stars 1-1 v Sparks

    A single for Sophia Dunkley gets South East Stars moving - but it is an excellent opening over from Issy Wong.

    Grace Potts will take the new ball from the other end.

  17. 'First blood'published at 12:04 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    First blood to the Central Sparks there!

    Bryony Smith will be disappointed, it's not how you want to go in a one-off semi-final,

    But it brings Sophia Dunkley to the crease, the best batter in English cricket at the moment, and her and Aylish Cranstone are key for the Stars.

  18. 'Teams have more incentive to be aggressive in this format'published at 12:02 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Kirstie Gordon
    Lightning and England spin bowler

    I think it makes sense to have two games and not three. We only have eight teams, so three make it to finals day, whereas it's four out of 18 in the men's T20 Blast.

    It gives teams more incentive to be more aggressive through the group stages as they want the bonus points to be the best in the group or the best second-placed team.

  19. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 0.3 overs

    Smith b Wong 0 (Stars 0-1 v Sparks)

    Bryony SmithImage source, PA Media

    A bit of movement off the seam for Issy Wong's opening delivery.

    And two balls later, there's the first wicket as Bryony Smith is cleaned up through the gate.

    Not a shot she will want to see again.

  20. Here we go....published at 12:00 British Summer Time 11 June 2022

    Stars 0-0 (0 overs) v Sparks

    The players are out in the middle to start today's play-off game.

    Bryony Smith and Aylish Cranstone are the South East Stars openers.

    Issy Wong will open the bowling for Central Sparks.

    BBC C&W's Clive Eakin spots Wong's "severe haircut" and he's not wrong - it is severe.