Perrin, Wraith, Ellis lead Warwickshire home in record chase

Warwickshire inflicted a third Metro Bank One-Day Cup defeat of the season on Surrey at a bracing and blustery Beckenham. Surrey's 313 for 7, adorned by a century from Sophia Dunkley, never quite looked enough on a cracking batting surface and positive batting from Davina Perrin and Nat Wraith broke the back of the chase before Beth Ellis played an assured finishing role.

Warwickshire's chase was the second-highest ever in women's List A cricket (Bengal hauled in Haryana's 389 for 5 in Rajkot in December 2024) and the highest ever in England.

Surrey were given a flying start by Bryony Smith and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 59 coming off the first six overs as the bowlers, perhaps excited by a bit of pace and bounce in the wicket, didn't get it right, bowling too short and too wide. Issy Wong finally saw Wyatt-Hodge toe-end tamely to Perrin at point but Surrey's 71 for 1 was still the highest Powerplay score in the competition to date, and that with just 12 coming from overs 7-10.

Alice Capsey burned brightly but briefly and Dunkley and Smith put on 76 to keep the innings moving. Smith then sliced Bethan Ellis to backward point for a fine 72-ball 78 and Alice Davidson-Richards and Paige Scholfield both hit 26, while Dunkley just kept batting.

Her hundred, off 109 balls, with seven fours and one six, came off the penultimate ball of the innings, Surrey's final total imposing but less than they would have been looking at after 40 overs when they were 241 for 4.

Warwickshire's openers looked to attack but the Surrey bowlers were disciplined, openers Meg Austin and Abigail Freeborn both perishing trying to hit over the top, caught at mid-on and mid-off respectively. Captain Katie George sparkled briefly but then went the same way, caught at mid-on to give Alice Monaghan her second wicket.

Warwickshire scored 66 for 3 in their powerplay, up with the rate but seemingly having lost perhaps one wicket too many. But then Perrin and Wraith put on a century partnership, at one stage benefiting from an unusual five penalty runs for intimidatory fielding by Dani Gregory.

Having made 69, Perrin chipped Capsey to long-on, where Scholfield took her third catch but with the run rate under control it was a surprise when Wraith ran herself out for a fine 54. A calm half-century partnership between Em Arlott and Ellis took the visitors within 80 but Capsey then took her second wicket when she bowled Arlott.

Ellis carried on calmly picking up singles with the occasional boundary and Charis Pavely gave her good support, the two calmly combining in another half century partnership. Pavely went just before the end but Warwickshire sealed their record-breaking victory by three wickets with 3.3 overs to spare, Ellis finishing unbeaten on 63.