Hampshire Women 210-7 beat Middlesex Women 144 by 66 runs

HAMPSHIRE Women have won their first Royal London One-Day Cup title after a memorable sixth win in seven games, against Middlesex at Andover.

Ella Chandler’s 56 (119 balls, two fours) ensured Charlotte Edwards’ side posted 210-7 at Andover before the visitors were all out for 144 in reply.

Hampshire were 66-4 when Katie George departed for six but Chandler then shared a fifth-wicket stand of 104 with Fritha Morris, whose 45 included three fours from 70 balls.

Batting at number seven, director of women’s cricket Edwards made a run-a-ball 20 to ensure Middlesex would have to chase at more than four an over.

Katie George (2-18) got Hampshire off to the perfect start when the visitors began their reply, bowling Middlesex captain Naomi Dattani for nine.

New Zealand’s Suzie Bates (1-14) soon ran out Natasha Miles before bowling Fran Wilson.

Middlesex were 66-4 when off-spinner Charlie Dean, 17, had Sophia Dunkley-Brown caught behind.

A 51-run stand followed but it was broken by Morris, another off-spinner, who continued an impressive all-round performance with the wickets of Maia Bouchier (28) and Emma Albery (0) on the way to figures of 2-28.

After two quick wickets for leg-spinner Providence Cowdrill, left-armer George returned to complete the victory by bowling Bhavika Gajipra.

Winning division one for the first time, having been in division three as recently as 2015 is a remarkable achievement for a Hampshire side that is next in action on Sunday, when they take on Scotland in their first game of this year’s Vitality Twenty20 Cup.

They will be without Suzie Bates, who is now on international duty.