Georgia Elwiss 112, death-bowling heroics seal high-scoring win for Southern Vipers

Georgia Elwiss scored a century and produced some clutch bowling at the death as Sunrisers edged Southern Vipers with a nerve-shredding one-run victory in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

England allrounder Elwiss struck her first List A century since 2013 with a sublime 112 before defending eight from the final over to return 1 for 52. Sunrisers, who are still yet to win in the format, smashed their highest score in the competition and would have chased the highest total in domestic women's cricket if they'd succeed in their pursuit of 309 on a belting Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford pitch.

Vipers are now confirmed a place in the Eliminator, with victory over Northern Diamonds on Saturday enough to send them straight to the final.

Ella McCaughan got Vipers, who had been stuck in, off to a storming start with 23 off 12 balls before chipping to cover. That brought in freshly capped England batter Maia Bouchier, who built a 45-run stand with Georgia Adams before chipping a full toss to deep midwicket.

Elwiss and Adams took very few risks in reaching fifties in quick succession - Elwiss first off 63 balls and Adams off 73 deliveries, which included a pulled six - followed almost immediately by the 105-ball 100 partnership.

Adams ticked an edge behind without adding to 50 but that didn't stop Elwiss' rampage, Gaby Lewis helping with a 44-run stand for the fourth wicket. Naomi Dattani took two wickets in two balls - Lewis bowled by an in-ducker and Emily Windsor caught behind - but Paige Scholfield restarted things again with 62 alongside Elwiss.

Elwiss skipped through the 80s with a couple of off-side boundaries but laboured through the 90s with singles before reaching her hundred in 108 balls. Scholfield slapped to cover, Tara Norris was bowled, Carla Rudd was run out and Lauren Bell was stumped as Elwiss ended up unbeaten on 112.

An imposing chase seemed much easier as Cordelia Griffith and Grace Scrivens smoothly chipped 75 runs off with little worry. Scrivens was bowled by Adams for an enterprising 30 but Griffith and Lissy Macleod took hold of the chase. Griffith on the back of two fifties in three innings reached the milestone again in 48 balls.

She and Macleod totted up 112, a record partnership for Sunrisers, as a maiden RHF Trophy victory began to look on the cards. Griffith was lbw to Lauren Bell nine short of a deserved century and Macleod was lbw to Elwiss for a sensational 79 but Sunrisers were on course thanks to Fran Wilson, even as wickets fell around her - Dattani was caught, Kelly Castle was stumped and Jo Gardner was caught

Wilson finished with an unbeaten 65 off 51 balls but needing eight to win off the final over, and then six off the final ball, the England batter could only sweep the final delivery for four.