Worcestershire Women’s Rapids captain Chloe Hill, and spinner Flora Bertwhistle, were the star performers in a 34-run win over Staffordshire Women in the opening West Midlands Cup encounter at Halesowen.
Wicket-keeper-batter Hill followed up her 66 on loan to Southern Vipers last week by making 78 off 85 balls with 12 boundaries in a total of 252 all out after the Rapids opted to bat.
Bertwhistle then picked up two top-order wickets and also polished off the lower order to finish with career-best figures of 9.4-1-31-5.
It was the ideal start for the Rapids after their ECB County T20 Cup Group Two triumph earlier in the season.
A delighted Chloe Hill said: “A really good start for us, continuing the winning ways of the T20, so really happy with that.
“It was nice for me to be scoring runs again and being out in the middle.
“Overall, though, I thought that Flora did a fantastic job.
“I felt that she turned the game in a high-pressure situation towards the end.
“We know Ellie (Anderson) can bat, and it was great to see her show what she is capable of.
“Then, with the ball, the first couple of overs didn’t go as she wanted, but she came back and bowled an exceptional spell in the middle.
“We had a few youngsters, and Charlotte Roberts bowled well.”
Hill came in at number three and shared in stands of 41 with Clare Boycott (28) and Rachael Howells (10).
She was fifth out at 153, but then Ellie Anderson ensured a formidable total was posted by making 43 off 45 balls with seven boundaries.
Anderson put on 51 for the sixth wicket with Hannah Hardwick, who ended unbeaten on 29 from 26 balls.
It was Hardwick who made the first breakthrough with the ball after an opening stand of 45, and then wickets fell at regular intervals.
Bertwhistle dismissed Stephanie Butler (48) at 123-5, but Ilenia Sims, with an unbeaten 61, kept Staffordshire in the hunt.
But the last five wickets fell for 36 runs, the first two to Boycott before Bertwhistle completed her five-for.
Boycott finished with 7-0-25-2, Pavely 6-0-31-1 and Hardwick 5-0-23-1.
