Scholfield, Wyatt-Hodge steer Surrey to comfortable win in Blast opener

Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Paige Scholfield raised a match-winning stand of 112 as Surrey women launched their Vitality Blast campaign with a convincing eight-wicket win over Somerset at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Both hit half-centuries, Scholfield top-scoring with an enterprising 63 from 48 balls with 11 fours, while former England star Wyatt-Hodge made 53 not out from 35 deliveries in a sparkling innings that included six fours and a six as the visitors chased down a modest target with 4.3 overs to spare to claim a bonus point.

Put into bat, Somerset struggled to build partnerships, lost early wickets and came up short at 131 for 6, Alex Griffiths top-scoring with an unbeaten 37-ball 36 and Bex Odgers contributing 27. Surrey's spinners made scoring difficult, Tilly Corteen-Coleman taking 2 for 21 and Danielle Gregory 1 for 18 from four tight overs.

It was a disappointing outcome for Somerset, who were watched by a crowd of more than 2000. Surrey skipper Bryony Smith won the toss, elected to field and watched her bowlers make crucial early inroads during a powerplay in which the home side flattered to deceive.

Amelie Munday came out swinging on debut and contributed 12 in an opening stand of 39 in four overs with Odgers before dragging a delivery from Ryana MacDonald-Gay onto her stumps. Alexa Stonehouse struck another blow for Surrey in the next over, having Emma Corney held at backward point, while Corteen-Coleman comprehensively bowled Fran Wilson as Somerset lost three wickets in seven balls, finding themselves in need of a rebuild at 47 for 3 in the sixth.

Unperturbed, the no-nonsense Odgers continued to take the aerial route, accruing a quartet of fours in hurrying to 27 from 20 balls, only to then blot her copybook by offering a return catch to Gregory and departing with the score on 54 for 4. Seeking to stabilise the innings, the experienced pair of Sophie Luff and Griffiths were necessarily cautious in advancing the score to 74 for 4 at the halfway stage.

Somerset's fifth-wicket pair had added 34 in 5.3 overs and were looking to launch when Luff, who had scored 22, took on Phoebe Franklin and sliced high to Corteen-Coleman at short third man.

Griffiths and Amanda-Jade Wellington attempted a change in tempo, but the latter fell for 11, attempting to reverse sweep Corteen-Coleman and finding point as the hosts slipped to 111 for 6 after 17 in the face of accurate bowing. Scoring at a run-a-ball, Griffiths did her utmost to haul Somerset to a competitive total, providing a flourish at the death in partnership with Chloe Skelton. But the visitors had good reason to feel satisfied with their work in the field.

Somerset needed early wickets and Ellie Anderson removed Smith for 4, Surrey's captain sending a top-edged pull shot to backward point in the second over. But Wyatt-Hodge and Scholfield quickly redressed the balance, finding the gaps with regularity and ruthlessly exploiting the poor ball, advancing the score to 44 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Australia spinner Wellington kept the second wicket pair in check for a time, but there was a certain inevitability about proceedings as the partnership realised 50 from 35 balls. Growing in confidence, Wyatt-Hodge plundered a straight six off Wellington as the boundaries began to flow and Somerset's fielding became ragged under pressure.

Surrey reached halfway on 86 for 1, at which point the required rate was under five an over and the outcome a foregone conclusion. Playing fluently by now, Scholfield was first to 50, attaining that landmark via 37 balls with her ninth four, a straight drive at the expense of Wellington that also brought up the hundred partnership. Wyatt-Hodge brought up her half century from just 33 balls, seeing the job through after Scholfield had been bowed by Olivia Barnes.