Warwickshire, Hampshire tie in season-opening thriller

Women's county cricket started in scintillating style in Birmingham as Warwickshire and Hampshire tied an absolute thriller in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's competition opener at Edgbaston.

On a pitch which never yielded runs easily, Hampshire chose to bat and were bowled out for 208 in 48.3 overs, as only Rhianna Southby (72 from 95 balls - her maiden 50-over half-century) and Abi Norgrove (28, 46) passed 20. Chloe Brewer took 3 for 40 and there were two wickets apiece for Emily Arlott and Georgia Davis.

Warwickshire then were also all out for 208, their last wicket falling from the final ball of the 50th over. Abi Freeborn's composed 70 (96 balls) put them on top but Linsey Smith, with 4 for 39, cut through the lower middle order to leave Warwickshire's last two wickets needing to find 44.

In fading light, Charis Pavely, Georgia Davis and Hannah Baker did brilliantly to find 43 before skipper Davis was run out off the last ball.

As women's county cricket dawned in Birmingham, the first delivery of the new era, by Emily Arlott to Maia Boucher, was met by a forward defensive. The batter may reflect that she should have repeated that stroke 26 balls later when she went back to Arlott and played on.

On a cloudy morning, batting was far from straightforward and Ella McCaughan was bowled by a lovely in-ducker by Brewer. Charli Knott and Georgia Adams tried to break the shackles by hoisting the spinners straight but found only mid-off off Hannah Baker and Georgia Davis respectively.

Southby and Norgrove built a responsible stand of 62 in 14 overs before the latter looked skyward in disbelief after flicking Davis straight to mid-wicket. Southby passed 50 from 75 balls but the innings petered out as the last five wickets fell for 25 runs in 33 balls.

Smith was run out by Davina Perrin's throw. Southby dragged an attempt cut at Brewer onto her stumps. Arlott hit Nancy Harman's leg-stump and the innings ended with wickets in successive balls when Poppy Tulloch was run out by Perrin's direct hit and Brewer struck Freya Davies' middle-stump.

Warwickshire openers Freeborn and Sterre Kalis started solidly with 35 in eight overs before the latter edged Lauren Bell behind. Freeborn and Perrin added 51 but Hampshire struck back when Smith turned one past Perrin's defence to win an lbw decision and George ran herself out, going for a second run that didn't exist.

At 134 for 3, with Freeborn in quiet control, Warwickshire were on top but two wickets in five balls reversed the flow of the game. Freeborn missed a sweep at Knott and was lbw and Natasha Wraith sent a leading edged off Bell to cover.

Smith added the wickets of Arlott, caught at mid-on, Brewer, who chipped to mid-wicket and Bethan Ellis, lbw, and suddenly Warwickshire's last two wickets had 44 to find. Pavely and Davis valiantly garnered 24 in the gathering gloom but Pavely played on to Davies with 20 still needed.

Davis and Baker chipped away to leave four required from the last over, bowled by Adams. Three singles from the first four balls took the scores level and, her side assured at least a tie, Davis was run out going for an impossible single off the last ball.