Charlotte Edwards Cup holders Vipers claim first win
Charlotte Edwards Cup holders Southern Vipers got this year's campaign up and running at the second attempt as they beat Sunrisers by 19 runs at Chelmsford.
An unbroken 110-run third-wicket stand - a Vipers record for any wicket – between England duo Georgia Elwiss and Freya Kemp - was the cornerstone of their comfortable victory.
Elwiss finished unbeaten on 73 and Kemp on 55 as Vipers ran up 171-2 from their 20 overs.
Mady Villiers (44) and Jo Gardner, who finished unbeaten on 79, her maiden half-century in the competition, put on 75 for the third wicket to give Sunrisers hope.
But the Vipers attack, fuelled by two wickets for Mary Taylor, put the squeeze on to make up for their opening three-run defeat against The Blaze six days ago.
That sentenced Sunrisers to a second straight loss after opening up with a defeat by Central Sparks at Worcester last Sunday.
Scholfield stars with bat for Stars
Earlier, South East Stars made it two wins from two with a five-wicket win over Lancashire Thunder at Beckenham.
South Africa-born all-rounder Paige Scholfield set a new T20 career-best with an unbeaten 73 from 39 balls as the hosts chased down a target of 140 with four overs to spare.
Fi Morris hit eight boundaries in a belligerent 41 but Tash Farrant took 2-17 as Thunder lost their way to total only 139-7.
Stars then buckled to 24-3 in reply, but Scholfield shared stands of 67 with Alice Davidson-Richards and 48 with Aylish Cranstone as the hosts coasted home.
She hit 16 off one Liberty Heap over as she sped to 50 from 32 balls before completing a morale-boosting victory ahead of Monday’s visit of Western Storm.
"I hate the fact I'm not bowling as I've had a niggle," said Schofield. "But I had a lot of fun batting with ADR.
"She got the momentum going and took a lot of pressure off. I said I'll wait down the other end and you do your thing. She got out, so I had to take the lead and was happy to get us over the line."
Who's next?
Sunday 26 May
The Blaze v Lancashire Thunder (Loughborough, 14:30 BST)
Monday 27 May
Northern Diamonds v Central Sparks (Headingley, 14:30 BST)
South East Stars v Western Storm (Beckenham, 14:30 BST)
Southern Vipers v Sunrisers (Arundel, 14:30 BST)
