Surrey face crucial game at Durham after eye-catching washout

Rain denied Surrey the chance of securing a semi-final spot in the Metro Bank Women's One-Day Cup, after centuries from Emma Jones and Alice Davidson-Richards had put them in a commanding position over Essex.

With Somerset washed out away to Hampshire, a bonus-point victory for Surrey would have been enough to secure fourth place ahead of their final match away to Durham on Saturday.

Instead, the rain, which arrived at the innings break and didn't stop, means the match at Chester-le-Street now turns into an effective quarter-final, with Durham in fifth place and only three points behind Surrey.

Surrey had made two changes to their team that lost to Lancashire at the weekend, one of which was Jones coming in at No.3 in place of Alice Capsey.

Jones had played just one fifty-over match for Surrey this year, and while showing glimpses with the bat across the T20 season, no-one predicted that her inclusion would bring such dramatic results, as she compiled a chanceless 141 off only 117 balls to record her first century for Surrey.

Jones entered this season without a half-century to her name in List A cricket, but has now scored two massive centuries in the format, after making 147 not out off 101 balls earlier this year while on loan at Glamorgan.

After rain early in the day, Surrey's innings had been reduced to 45 overs, although they still managed to finish on 313 for 5 on what was a difficult day in the field for Essex, who with just two wins from 13 matches, remain bottom of the table.

"Jonesy was hitting them wonderfully," said Davidson-Richards, who made 107.

"I was just enjoying helping her along and watching her smash fours at the other end. I think sometimes it's really simple and you just realise how the other person is ticking. It was a really nice partnership."