Hants extend lead, Blaze go second in T20 Blast

Published28 June 2026

Maia Bouchier hit her fifth half-century of the month as Hampshire beat Durham by eight wickets to move two points clear at the top of the Women's T20 Blast table.

The Blaze moved up to second place with captain Marie Kelly and Charli Knott both scoring half-centuries in a nine-wicket victory over Essex.

Bryony Smith scored 63 as Surrey claimed a two-wicket win over Somerset with only four balls remaining to go third in the table.

At the bottom end of the standings, Natasha Wraith scored 83 as Warwickshire beat fellow strugglers Lancashire by one run in a final-ball thriller at Blackpool.

Women's T20 Blast fixtures and results

Women's T20 Blast fixtures and results

Women's T20 Blast table

Women's T20 Blast table

Bouchier hit 63, including seven fours and two sixes, as she dominated Hampshire's chase of 129 after Durham had scored 128-7 at the Utilita Bowl.

Following the dismissal of captain Georgia Adams (22), Bouchier's 86-run partnership with Naomi Dattani made sure it was plain sailing, despite the opener losing her wicket with nine runs still required.

Dattani made sure the target was cleared, scoring 33.

Emily Windsor top-scored for the visitors with 30, but no-one else reached 20, as Bex Tyson (2-24) and Poppy Tulloch (2-28) took two wickets apiece.

Durham dropped to fourth with defeat and wins for The Blaze and Surrey.

At Chelmsford, Knott starred with bat and ball as The Blaze cruised past Essex with 4.1 overs remaining to claim a third consecutive win.

The Australian all-rounder took 2-24, teaming up with fellow spinners Lucy Higham (3-24) and Maria Andrews (1-20) to restrict the home side to 136-9.

She then contributed an unbeaten 54 from 35 balls, sharing an unbroken partnership of 95 with Kelly, who posted 55 not out – her first half-century of the tournament.

Put in to bat, Essex lost three wickets inside the first four overs, and although Liberty Heap hit 46 to equal her career-best T20 score, it was not enough to deny The Blaze.

Surrey captain Smith guided her side to a hard-earned victory at the Cooper Associates Ground against Somerset with a nerveless half-century.

Chasing 149, Surrey reached their target with four balls to spare, Smith scoring 63 from 51 deliveries with 10 fours.

Sophie Luff hit 52 off 39 balls as Somerset totalled 148-7, with Surrey's overseas star Laura Harris returning figures of 3-16.

Somerset's 16-year-old debutant Maddie Russell took a wicket in her first over to finish with figures of 2-22, while Niamh Holland impressed with 3-22, but Phoebe Franklin (19 not out) got the visitors over the line.

In a dramatic match at Blackpool, Wraith's brilliant 83, including ten fours and two sixes, helped Warwickshire as they earned a narrow victory over Lancashire.

Set a target of 161, Tilly Kesteven's 73 looked to have put the home side well in control after some fine spin bowling from Sophie Morris and Vinali Weerappuli, who took three wickets each, had restricted the Bears to 160-9.

But Lancashire lost two wickets in the final over, including Kesteven's, and needed three runs off the last ball, but Mary Taylor (2-34) held her nerve to deny the hosts and spark Bears' celebrations.

Match report details supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.

Related topics

Cricket

Essex

Warwickshire

Lancashire

Somerset

Surrey

Hampshire

Durham

More on this story

Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

• Published28 August

Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

Published28 August