Somerset Women’s cricket team will be playing cricket in the top division next year after beating Surrey at Bath on Sunday.
Batting first at North Parade the hosts lost two early wickets but recovered to make 222 all out in the 50 over game of which included a century partnership between skipper Sophie Luff and Nicole Richards.
When Surrey responded they made 125, Richards claiming five of the wickets to round off a good day for her.
Afterwards Luff the jubilant skipper, who the previous day had scored an unbeaten 18 to help guide Western Strom to the finals day of the Kia Super League said: “It was a pretty complete performance. We talked before the game about doing things for a long time during the game and partnerships with the bat was a key focus for us, so for two senior players (Nicole Richards and myself) to share a 100+ partnership was really important especially being two down after the opening two overs.
“The lower order chipped in to get us to a really competitive score on a pitch that you never really felt ‘in’ on.”
The captain also paid credit to her bowling attack.
“The Somerset bowlers were brilliant up top as well, Cassie Coombes set the tone and we kept things really tight as well as picking up a couple wickets in the powerplay. Nicole Richards finished with five wickets and just showed what happened on that wicket when you put the ball in the right area.”
On Bank Holiday a younger side travelled to Hampshire where they lost by seven wickets, but despite this the Somerset Women’s tam will be playing in Division One of the County Championship in 2018.
