Batters fire before rain-hit match is tied

Phoebe Franklin and Kira Chathli shared an explosive unbroken partnership of 72 from 35 balls as Surrey and Essex fought out a dramatic rain-affected tie in the Vitality Blast.

The home side slumped to 45 for 4 at the Kia Oval, with former Surrey seamer Eva Gray taking 2 for 18 before Franklin, with an unbeaten 48 from 23 and Chathli (44 not out from 38) reinvigorated their innings.

That late recovery, with the last four overs yielding almost 60, enabled Surrey to post 159 for 5, but rain during the interval left Essex to chase an amended target of 94 from 10 overs instead.

Lauren Winfield-Hill's pugnacious 49 from 27 kept the visitors firmly in the hunt but, with two needed off the final ball, Jo Gardner was run out coming back for the second and the spoils were shared.

Depleted by England call-ups, the home side drafted in Hampshire youngster Rachel King on loan for her debut as Bryony Smith's opening partner and the pair added 25 from four overs after being put in.

But both openers departed in similar fashion, snicking behind as they misjudged the pace of the ball and Surrey were floundering after Gardner's throw from extra cover ran out Alice Monaghan and Grace Harris was caught in the deep for a second-ball duck.

Chathli and Alice Davidson-Richards, with 21 from as many balls, rebuilt the innings with a stand of 42 from 40 and, although Gray tempted the latter to hole out to deep midwicket, Surrey maintained their impetus.

With Essex beginning to lose their way during the death overs, Chathli shrewdly picked out gaps in the field while Franklin's powerful hitting propelled the home side above the 150 mark.

Successive sixes off Sophia Smale in the final over enabled Franklin to outscore her partner and finish with a flourish, but the downpour between innings ensured a drastically revised equation.

Essex's hopes were dented when Priyanaz Chatterji had Lissy MacLeod caught at backward point with her first delivery, but Winfield-Hill went on the offensive immediately, plundering a trio of consecutive fours off Kalea Moore.

The opener found the rope with regularity, dominating her second-wicket partnership of 54 from 33 with Maddie Penna, only to miss out on a second half-century of the tournament as she skied Chatterji (2 for 12) to long off.

Penna (22 from 19) and Cordelia Griffith took up the baton following Winfield-Hill's departure, but both fell to Harris (two for 22) in the final over before Franklin's accurate throw to the keeper left Gardner short and denied Essex victory.