Knott keeps Hampshire on top despite Freeborn fight

Charli Knott scored her third half-century in her last four Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's competition innings as Hampshire beat Warwickshire at Arundel.

Abbey Freeborn had underpinned a Warwickshire recovery from 93 for 6 to set Hampshire 244 with a patient 94 not out. But Knott followed up scores of 58 against Durham and 64 versus Somerset to crash a classy 82, with Georgia Adams picking up 68 to keep Hampshire top of the table heading into the Vitality Blast break.

Warwickshire chose to bat first, less than 24 hours after nine of the players had featured in the Vitality T20 County Cup victory in Devon. The change of format appeared to frazzle the top-order on a slow pitch as they slumped to 38 for 4 inside the first 10 over, which continued to 93 for 6.

Bex Tyson took the mantle of the main left-arm spinner, with Linsey Smith on England duty, and immediately struck as she pinned Meg Austin with her first delivery. At the other end, Freya Davies accounted for Sterre Kalis and Davina Perrin in back-to-back overs - Yorkshire loanee Kalis had her stump flattened while teenager Perrin steered to point.

Mary Taylor entered the attack and bowled Katie George in her first over, before spin resumed its hold with wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby catching Bethan Ellis and Nat Wraith off Adams and Knott.

Hampshire may well have be considering a short chase and an afternoon off, but Freeborn had other ideas. She manipulated the field to prevent her side from being routed, while striking semi-regular boundaries square of the wicket to build the foundations of a strong total.

Charis Pavely gave her energetic support with the duo putting on 97 in good time, with Freeborn reaching her second fifty of the season in 84 deliveries.

Pavely followed her in 70 balls as an above-par score looked on the cards, and when Pavely was stumped for 55, Georgia Davis took over. The pair put on an unbroken 53, including 40 off the last three overs, but they couldn't contrive to take Freeborn - who swept strongly in the second half of her innings - to three figures.

However, 243 for 7 was significantly competitive after Hampshire had allowed things to drift.

Hannah Rainey hadn't had to bat on her One-Day Cup debut but with the new ball, she began with a maiden.

Ella McCaughan and Maia Bouchier cracked seven boundaries between them, but both fell to Davis when set. Bouchier flicked to square leg, while McCaughan was lbw. But Knott and Adams avoided a similar top-order slip to Warwickshire earlier, with both oozing class and timing.

Australian Knott's scoring was dominated by boundaries, eight of them in her 46-ball half-century. Knott gave Davis her third wicket when she top-edged a sweep on 82, before Southby chopped a pull onto her own stumps.

Adams fell for 68 when she was leg-before to Hannah Baker, with Abi Norgrove slicing to point as Hampshire wobbled to 205 for 6 - still 38 runs short.

In the reverse fixture at Edgbaston, the two teams tied, and they flirted with a similar outcome, especially when Nancy Harman was bowled with eight needed off 16 balls. But having taken it to the final over, Taylor secured the three-wicket victory with four balls to spare.