Ella McCaughan 133* highlights Hampshire's cruise to victory

Opener Ella McCaughan's sensational senior career-best 133 not out off 141 balls helped Hampshire cruise a chase of 293 to beat early-season pace-setters Lancashire by eight wickets in a high-scoring Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's clash at Southport and Birkdale.

The Red Rose had won their opening two games and looked well placed for another with Eve Jones and Emma Lamb, who made 107 and 86 respectively, sharing 185 inside 32 overs for the first wicket. But they stumbled late in their innings and finished on 292 for 6, including two wickets for the offspin of Australian Charli Knott.

Her day was not done at sunny Trafalgar Road, contributing 47 to the chase. England opener Maia Bouchier also posted 77. But 22-year-old McCaughan's contribution was the most significant as she shared century stands with both partners.

In hitting 11 boundaries, McCaughan was strong on both sides of the wicket including, like most batters on show, down the ground in perfect batting conditions. Hampshire achieved their target with three overs remaining.

Lancashire's Jones and Lamb have posted five scores above 50 between them in the opening three matches of the campaign. Lamb has done it in all three.

Hampshire's attack grew into their work and crucially limited the hosts to only 56 runs for the loss of four wickets in the last 10 overs of their innings. While the visitors, who opted to bowl first, missed rested England seamer Lauren Bell, they recovered to prevent a total which could have been many more.

All six Lancashire wickets fell to spin. Wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby claimed three stumpings.

Lamb fell that way off Nancy Harman's legspin before the offspin of Knott and captain Georgia Adams removed Fi Morris and Ellie Threlkeld cheaply - 258 for 6 in the 46th over.

Jones, having reached her hundred off 126 balls, was then caught at deep midwicket on the slog sweep off Linsey Smith's left-arm spin in the search for late runs. Knott finished with two for 42 from 10 overs.

While Bouchier has returned to domestic cricket impressively, having also scored 61 in victory over Surrey on Sunday, this knock was not without fortune as she was dropped twice.

She lofted the seam of Grace Potts over long-off for her only six, but although Bouchier took much of the focus given her standing as an England regular, McCaughan's contribution was the key one on the back of a weekend 64 against Surrey.

Bouchier was stumped off Morris's offspin - 137 for 1 in the 25th over - before McCaughan and Knott strengthened Hampshire's position, sharing 122 inside 18 overs for the second wicket.

By the time McCaughan, playing her 119th senior match across all formats, reached her century off 113 balls, Hampshire were 218 for 1 in the 37th over and almost certain of the four points for victory against a Lancashire side including wicketless England seamers Kate Cross and Mahika Gaur.

When Lamb's offspin trapped Knott lbw by Lamb - 259 for 2 in the 42nd - it was purely a consolatory strike.