Lamb shepherds Lancashire to eight-wicket victory

Emma Lamb made her highest Women's Vitality Blast score to fire Lancashire Thunder to a third victory in a row and boost their chances of reaching the knockouts.

England international Freya Kemp had whacked 63 and Abi Norgrove celebrated her maiden Hawks fifty as the hosts reached 174 for five, after a rocky start.

But Lamb's exemplary 66 not out, coming in partnerships of 65 with Eve Jones and 92 with Seren Smale, saw Lancashire home by eight wickets.

Hawks and Thunder had gone into the match level on 21 points, with the visitors' four points giving them a strong chance of leap-frogging Bears into third, and qualify for finals day.

Thunder had the dream start at Falklands Cricket Club in Newbury.

They won the toss and then had the Hawks 11 for three after the first four overs after Ellyse Perry had been unfortunately run out while backing up, Rhianna Southby had looped off her leading edge to mid-off and Georgia Adams pinged to midwicket.

But as quickly as they gained advantage, Norgrove and Kemp quickly swung it in the other direction.

In the following two overs, Kemp and Norgrove made the most of the fielding restrictions to pummel seven boundaries - which kicked off a flourishing partnership.

Despite being just 20, Kemp has been an integral player for Utilita Bowl-based sides for a few years and earned 30 international caps, while England U19 captain Norgrove, 19, has an incredibly high ceiling but has mainly been used as an impact player at the death of innings this season.

Both middled the ball and let the scorched Berkshire outfield do the hard work as the scoreboard rolled and rolled, despite Darcy Carter's miserly four overs for 24.

Kemp won the race to the half-century, but Norgrove was quicker - 38 vs 33 balls. The pair's 116 was the highest fourth wicket stand in the Blast, as both also pinged a six.

But they were both dismissed by Alana King, within three balls of each other but Naomi Dattani and Mary Taylor refused to let that stunt the hosts with 42 in the last 27 balls.

Like Lancashire, Hampshire took the early impetus - with a Freya Davies maiden - before Lamb and Jones took control of the chase.

The experienced openers used the conveyer belt nature of the outfield to whizz to 65 inside seven overs before Jones was caught at cover. 40 of Jones' 42 had come in fours.

Seren Smale simply continued where Jones had left off as Thunder bolted towards the winning target.

Lamb reached her third fifty of the competition in 30 balls and even though Smale was caught and bowled for 42, Ailsa Lister joined in to win with six balls to spare.