Surrey, Essex, Somerset and The Blaze all won their T20 Women’s County Cup quarter-finals to book their place at Old Trafford for Finals Day next Saturday.<\/p>\n
The three southern sides and Nottingham-based Blaze will bid to emulate Lancashire, who became the inaugural winners of this competition 15 months ago.<\/p>\n
Last years’ beaten finalists Surrey won by 10 runs in the first of the day’s four quarter-finals to get going, against Warwickshire Bears at Portland Road.<\/p>\n
The visitors had half-centuries from Kira Chathli (56) and Aylish Cranstone (53) and 36 in 17 balls from Jemima Spence to thank for posting 200-6.<\/p>\n
After 42 from Davina Perrin and 41 from wicketkeeper Nat Wraith, home captain Katie George smashed 54 off 35 balls – but a clatter of three wickets in the 18th over halted the momentum and they fell just short.<\/p>\n
Essex then booked their place with a nine-wicket win over Northants at Wantage Road.<\/p>\n
Amelia Kemp (88 not out from 69 balls) scored over two-thirds of her side’s total as the hosts reached 123-8 from their 20 overs, before Jodi Grewcock (59) and Grace Scrivens (51) shared an unbroken 113-run stand to win on 127-2 with 17 balls to spare.<\/p>\n
Somerset skipper Sophie Luff hit 80 off 51 balls to help her side reach 207-7 against Hampshire at Southampton.<\/p>\n
Abi Norgrove responded with 57, but the Hawks fell well short, bowled out for 172 to lose by 35 runs.<\/p>\n
And The Blaze were way too good for holders Lancashire at the Nottinghamshire Sports Ground at West Bridgford.<\/p>\n