Surrey, having overcome a spirited Somerset team in their effective quarter-final on Saturday, travelled to The Utilita Bowl in Southampton to face Hampshire for a place in Saturday's Final.
Having won the toss Surrey elected to field, despite a used pitch and a later start. Three hours later they trudged off the field knowing they needed more than 300 to prolong their season. Hampshire's two England players who were not managing their workloads, were the major contributors to their 303/5. Maia Bouchier (117*) hit her fourth century of the competition, in just eleven innings, and Freya Kemp a typically forceful 77 off 63 balls, as Hampshire racked up what looked to be a competitive total. Non-England player (for the time being) Abi Norgrove (60) also hit her seventh 50 of what has been a massively successful season for the 20 year old in the middle order.
Surrey's bowling attack, with the exception of Sune Luus, looked somewhat toothless, and stand-in skipper Alice Davidson-Richards did her best to try and juggle her resources. Surrey were not helped by keeper and skipper Kira Chatli leaving the field at the end of the first over with what looked like a recurrence of an elbow or shoulder injury. She did not return and batted at 11 when Surrey made their reply.
Surrey made a bright start in their chase led by Rachel King (31) and Sophia Dunkley (17), but Surrey needed at least one of the top order to get in and go big. Dunkley rather threw her wicket away mistiming an expansive deep-seated drive at Daisy Gibb; Sune Luus attempted to launch Georgia Adams over cow corner just nine balls into her innings; and Jemima Spence advanced down the track to Bex Tyson and missed a swish to leg to be bowled off stump. When Rachel King was needlessly run out and Davidson-Richards became the first of Amanda Jade Wellington's five victims, the Hampshire faithful were already buying tickets for the final back at the same ground this weekend. Surrey were 70/5.
It was a hole they never looked like digging themselves out of, in fact they continued to dig deeper. Franklin, MacDonald-Gay, Monaghan and Gregory went within 16 balls of each other. They did manage to scrape past 100, but it was fitting that Wellington (5/19) picked up the last wicket and her five-fer to send Hampshire back to the Final they lost last year.
The final margin of victory was a mere 194 runs.
Martin Davies
17/IX/2026
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