Monaghan's maiden fifty puts Surrey out of Somerset's reach

Alice Monaghan's maiden T20 half-century was the catalyst for Surrey's 68-run win over struggling Somerset to all but clinch top spot in the qualifying table.

The Hampshire academy graduate, who missed part of the season with a broken finger struck four sixes in her 57 (32), sharing a stand of 85 for the fifth wicket with Emma Jones (34) in Surrey's imposing 175 for 6. Chloe Skelton (2 for 20) and Erin Vukusic took two wickets apiece for Somerset.

In the face of a brilliant fielding display in which Alice Capsey and Kalea Moore both took catches which had to be seen to be believed, Somerset were never in the hunt in reply, bowled out for 107 with spinner Dani Gregory finishing with 4 for 13.

Skipper Bryony Smith struck three early boundaries only for Alex Griffiths to cut her surge short with a superb diving catch on the mid-wicket fence.

Kira Chathli had her leg-stump uprooted by Vukusic without scoring and after a typically aggressive start, Grace Harris was squared up by one which kept low and given out lbw to Mollie Robins, meaning Surrey lost three wickets in the powerplay.

Capsey, who'd been promoted to open, looked in ominous form, a lovely straight drive off Olivia Barnes the pick of her four boundaries, but she lost strike at a key time before becoming Skelton's second victim.

At 68 for 4 Surrey were wobbling, but Monaghan played a great hand, twice striking Amanda-Jade Wellington for huge sixes, while her other two maximums went over mid-on and onto the rope behind square.

Another of Surrey's big-hitters Emma Jones struggled at first before clearing the ropes on her way to 34.

Phoebe Franklin weighed in with an enterprising cameo meaning Somerset would need their biggest score of the tournament to win.

Wicketkeeper Rebecca Odgers gave early impetus before cutting Moore to short third and Ruby Davis was within inches following her back to the pavilion when all-but bowled by a huge Alexa Stonehouse inswinger in the following over.

Scare survived, Davis lapped Ryana MacDonald-Gay for four, but her reprieve was short-lived as the England ODI seamer's retort was to spread-eagle her stumps later in the over.

Skipper Niamh Holland survived a run out chance when stranded halfway down the pitch to club successive fours from MacDonald-Gay's next over, but she too couldn't go on, losing her middle-stump to Gregory's first ball.

By now the rate required was above 10 and Moore returned to turn the screw a little tighter with the wicket of Fran Wilson caught in the deep by Jones.

The home side's fielding backed up the bowlers, Harris twice saving boundaries with last-ditch dives, making it all the harder for Somerset to build any momentum.

Moore's superb catch cut short of England all-rounder Danielle Gibson's Somerset debut and Capsey produced an even better one at full stretch to remove Wellington as the visitors fell away.