Summary

  • Northern Diamonds beat Southern Vipers by two runs at Lord's

  • Vipers won toss and put Diamonds in

  • Opener Lauren Winfield-Hill makes 65 off 87 balls before being run out

  • Bess Heath made 44 as Diamonds posted a total of 215-9

  • Captain Georgia Adams top-scored with 70 for Vipers

  • Needing 13 off the final over, they finished on 213-9 to lose by two runs

  • Vipers were seeking hat-trick after 2020 and 2021 victories

Live Reporting

Ben Kosky and Paul Grunill

  1. BBC 5 Live Sports Extra commentator Melissa Story

    "That was probably the easiest decision Sarah Bartlett has ever had to make as an umpire."

  2. wicket

    WICKET Scott lbw b Adams 0

    Diamonds 212-8 v Vipers

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    For the second time in the innings, two wickets in as many balls!

    Lizzie Scott is plumb leg before to leave Georgia Adams on a hat-trick...

  3. wicket

    WICKET Kasperek c Elwiss b Adams 6

    Diamonds 212-7 v Vipers

    What a catch!

    Leigh Kasperek gets a leading edge and Georgia Elwiss, at short mid-off, casually plucks it one-handed out of the air at full stretch.

  4. Diamonds 212-6 v Vipers

    Leigh KasperekGetty Images

    Paige Scholfield's changes of pace bamboozle Leigh Kasperek, who can't get the ball off the square until the fourth delivery, which she ramps deftly for four.

    Scholfield finishes with 2-36 from eight overs and let's not forget, those two wickets in two balls were crucial in slowing Diamonds down until Heath and Dobson rebuilt the innings to give their side a fighting chance.

  5. Diamonds 206-6 v Vipers

    Leigh Kasperek is off the mark with a single on the off side, but that's a good over for Vipers, with the much-needed wicket of Bess Heath.

    Two overs to go...

  6. BBC Radio Solent commentator Kevan James

    "That's kind of a mistake. The way she'd been playing, she didn't have to play a reverse sweep there."

  7. wicket

    WICKET Heath lbw b Adams 44

    Diamonds 204-6 v Vipers

    Georgia Adams makes the breakthrough for Vipers with a straight ball that Bess Heath swings at and misses.

    She is trapped in front, having looked good for a half-century.

    Leigh Kasperek is out there to join Leah Dobson.

  8. Diamonds 215-9 v Vipers

    Leah Dobson scrambles one off the final ball of the innings to finish on 34 not out and Diamonds have set their opponents 216 to win.

    Georgia Adams didn't manage the hat-trick, but she finishes with figures of 3-34.

    Can Diamonds defend this total - or will it be three in a row for Vipers?

  9. We were talking earlier about the Mankad incident in England's game against India at Lord's yesterday.

    The MCC have issued a statement which says: "MCC's message to non-strikers continues to be to remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen."

  10. Diamonds 194-5 v Vipers

    Good work by Ella McCaughan, diving on the boundary, saves two runs, but Bess Heath makes sure of four with the next delivery from Tara Norris, pulling it through square leg.

    This has been a solid recovery from Heath and Leah Dobson, with another 10 coming from that over.

  11. BBC 5 Live Sports Extra commentator Melissa Story

    "Alice Monaghan is one of the best fielders in the women's game but it's not often you'll see her in the point position."

  12. Diamonds 184-5 v Vipers

    Chance goes begging as Bess Heath cuts Lauren Bell to point, but the substitute fielder, Alice Monaghan, spills the opportunity.

    Heath takes advantage of the let-off, moving on to 31 while Leah Dobson is on 28.

    Five overs to go - can Diamonds yet climb to 220 or thereabouts? That, you feel, would give them a chance.

  13. Diamonds 177-5 v Vipers

    Tara Norris returns to the attack and the left-armer is promptly drilled over the top for four by Leah Dobson as Diamonds start to close in on a 200-plus total.

    That looked unlikely after the spate of wickets that left them reeling at 119-5.

    Leah DobsonPA Media

  14. BBC 5 Live Sports Extra commentator Melissa Story

    "Bess Heath is one of my favourite players to watch in women's cricket. I played against her a lot in age group cricket and she was hitting it harder than anyone else. I can see her working her way into the England set-up."

  15. Diamonds 170-5 v Vipers

    Bess HeathPA Media

    Diamonds manage to build on the previous over, gleaning seven from this one and Bess Heath swings Lauren Bell for four on the leg side to bring up the 50 partnership with Leah Dobson.

    This pair have done well to staunch the bleeding - can they oversee a full recovery in these last seven overs?

  16. BBC 5 Live Sports Extra commentator Henry Moeran

    "Finely poised, you sense. Whoever gets the momentum at the back end of this innings will be well-placed to win this game."

  17. Diamonds 162-5 v Vipers

    A change of ends for Georgia Adams, but a change of fortune for the bowler as well as she goes for two boundaries.

    Bess Heath is the beneficiary, punching one ball down the ground and then sweeping a full toss to the fence. Good over for Diamonds.

  18. Diamonds 152-5 v Vipers

    Lauren Bell returns for her eighth over and ties Leah Dobson up for most of it, but her fifth delivery is cracked over mid-off to lift Diamonds beyond the 150 mark.

    They'd have anticipated getting there much sooner not too long ago.

    Worth noting that Diamonds failed to reach 200 in either of their previous finals - both, of course, defeats to the Vipers.

  19. Diamonds 148-5 v Vipers

    Good fielding by Maia Bouchier at midwicket, with a pick up and throw that takes down the stumps at the bowler's end, but Leah Dobson was through for the single.

    Charlie Dean completes her 10 overs with figures of 0-34 and Diamonds have just 10 left in this innings.

  20. Diamonds 145-5 v Vipers

    Vipers are doing a superb job of hurrying things along here and they'll hope to induce some panic from Diamonds as the overs slip away.

    Bess Heath lifts the tension slightly here, heaving Georgia Adams through midwicket for a very welcome boundary. She has 12, with Leah Dobson on 10.