Sophie Luff half-century sets up Western Storm for return to winning ways

Sophie Luff led by example as Western Storm comfortably defeated Lightning by 62 runs at Bristol to register their first win in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy since May.

Storm's captain top-scored with 70 from 111 balls, including six fours, and shared in stands of 70 and 66 with Alex Griffiths and Danielle Gibson for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively as Storm posted 228 for 7 after being put into bat. This performance represented a welcome return to form with the bat for a side that had struggled to score big runs for much of the summer in the absence of talismanic England captain Heather Knight.

Sarah Bryce, Lucy Higham and Ella Claridge each played themselves in to pass 20 as Lightning chased, but none was able to go on and post the kind of really substantial score needed to challenge Storm's total. A triumvirate of spinners ensured the hosts were able to exert a degree of control throughout, with Fi Morris claiming 2 for 34 and Nicole Harvey 2 for 25, while seamer Georgia Hennessy weighed in with 2 for 22 as Lightning were shot out for 166 in 41.2 overs.

Prone to batting collapses throughout the series and dismissed for an inadequate 185 in a losing cause against Northern Diamonds last time out, Storm were attempting to avert a fifth straight defeat in the 50-over competition. Put into bat on a characteristically sluggish Bristol pitch, they again encountered difficulties, sliding to 42 for 3 after Morris and Lauren Parfitt had laid solid foundations in an opening stand of 38.

Slow left armer Kirstie Gordon struck first ball, pinning Morris lbw for 25, while seamer Sophie Munro had Parfitt caught at point for 11 and then took a smart return catch to send back Hennessy without scoring.

Thereafter, skipper Luff took personal responsibility for putting the innings back on track, raising a measured half-century from 85 balls and dominating a restorative stand of 70 in 18 overs with Griffiths. Kathryn Bryce bowled Griffiths for 30 in the act of playing across the line, but Gibson picked up the cudgels, striking four boundaries in a hard-hitting cameo of 29 from 26 balls.

The fifth-wicket partnership was already worth 66 inside 10 overs and Storm looked set to post a truly imposing total when the returning Gordon struck twice in the space of four balls in the 43rd over to slow the home side's progress. Gibson was given out lbw and Luff, with her sights no doubt set on three figures, chipped to short midwicket and departed for 70 as Storm were pegged back to 181 for 6.

No matter. Natasha Wraith, Harvey and Chloe Skelton ensured the tail wagged, mustering seven boundaries between them during a frenetic finale which saw the hosts attain respectability.

Storm applied early pressure in the field, quickly reducing their opponents to 57 for 4 inside 15 overs to stamp their authority. Gibson set the tone with a sharp throw from point to run out Bethany Harmer, while Kathryn Bryce was caught at the wicket via an inside edge off a delivery from Lauren Filer that cut back sharply. Sarah Bryce played down the wrong line and was bowled by offspinner Claire Nicholas and Abi Freeborn departed in almost identical fashion, undone by Harvey's cunning flight.

Teresa Graves went on the attack, scoring the only six of the match, but then chanced her arm once too often and succumbed to Gibson for 17 as Lightning subsided to 85 for 5 in the 22nd over. Now heavily dependent upon the obdurate Higham, who had grafted assiduously for 23 from 50 balls, the visitors found themselves between a rock and a hard place when their last realistic hope of victory was pinned inside her crease by a Morris offbreak with a further 129 still required from 21 overs.

Hennessy then accounted for Gordon, held by Filer at mid-on, Morris had Munro caught at extra cover, Yvonne Graves edged a catch behind off Hennessy and Harvey removed Grace Ballinger to wrap the innings up, leaving Claridge unbeaten on 39.