Jodi Grewcock 73* leads Essex Women to first win

Jodi Grewcock struck her first half-century of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's competition as Essex overcame Lancashire at Chelmsford to break their duck in the tournament.

The left-hander finished unbeaten on 73 from 91 balls, accumulating singles and hitting only six boundaries as she shared a decisive fourth-wicket partnership of 89 from 88 with Flo Miller (41 from 48) and steered Essex over the line with 16 balls to spare.

Grewcock had earlier made a key contribution with the ball after Eve Jones (57 from 75) and Emma Lamb (43 from 53) gave Lancashire a strong platform with an opening stand of 106 from 117 - their third consecutive three-figure partnership.

But Grewcock and fellow legspinner Abtaha Maqsood triggered a middle-order collapse to restrict the visitors to 230 for 8 after seven wickets went down for 76.

Essex opted to bowl after winning the toss, but could not establish control in the powerplay as Jones and Lamb built steadily, consistently picking out gaps in the field.

Jones began to accelerate, dispatching Grace Scrivens for successive boundaries - but there was a touch of fortune about the left-hander's drive off Maqsood that took her past 50, with Jo Gardner fumbling a mid-off catch before the ball rolled on to the rope.

Maqsood did eventually dismiss Jones, who pulled her to deep midwicket, but Lancashire still looked on course for a sizeable total when Lamb and Katie Mack guided them to 133 for 1 just after halfway.

Kate Coppack's second spell triggered a shift in momentum as the seamer accounted for both Lamb and Seren Smale in the space of three balls and almost 11 overs went by without Lancashire finding the boundary.

Essex's spinners stifled the middle order, capturing wickets at regular intervals and it was only due to a late flurry by Tara Norris and Grace Potts, who added 21 from the final three overs, that the visitors reached 230.

Scrivens immediately made inroads, punching the first ball of her side's reply to the cover fence while new opening partner Lissy MacLeod also produced some classy strokeplay to ensure they kept pace with the required rate.

The pair put on 77 from 86 - Essex's best opening stand of the tournament - but both fell in successive overs from Hannah Jones (3 for 39), Scrivens bowled attempting to reverse-sweep the left-armer before MacLeod speared one to mid-off.

Grewcock and Cordelia Griffith nursed the innings along with a partnership of 42 but they were held up by the teasing off-breaks of Lamb, who removed Griffith as Norris flung out her left hand to pouch a drive that had looked destined for the boundary.

However, that wicket brought Miller to the crease, providing Essex with fresh impetus and, although she was neatly caught on the boundary with 14 still needed, Grewcock sealed the win by slamming a Lamb full toss for four.