Spence fifty leads Surrey to victory

Jemima Spence scored two Vitality Blast half-centuries as Surrey defeated Essex at the Kia Oval to recover from their first defeat of the season. Spence, who had her first Blast 50 against Somerset last time, followed it up with a brisk 52 from 31 balls, including nine fours, to lead her team to victory with 2.2 overs remaining. Somerset was the losing side. That kept the defending champions at the top of the table and stopped Essex from winning for the third time in a row. Essex captain Grace Scrivens batted through their total of 145 for six with an impressive 85 not out from 63 balls. Kalea Moore, an offspinner for Surrey, went two for 19, both of her wickets coming in the final over from consecutive deliveries. Scrivens pounded Bethan Miles with four boundaries in the first over, which went for 19, making the home team's decision to bowl after winning the toss initially appear ill-advised. The Essex captain scored freely off the back foot, but the bowler deflected Lissy Macleod's straight drive off Moore onto the stumps, ending an opening stand of 36 from 23. Three tight overs from Alice Monaghan helped to stifle Essex and Alice Davidson-Richards, whose first two balls had been cut to the point boundary by Scrivens, claimed the second wicket with a full toss that Liberty Heap smacked to deep midwicket. Jodi Grewcock (19 from 16) appeared to be well-prepared, but Essex was unable to regain momentum after she and Scrivens hesitated over a risky off-side single to Laura Harris. Ryana MacDonald-Gay (1 for 23) gave away just six from the penultimate over, which included the wicket of Jo Gardner before Moore closed out the innings, bowling Flo Miller and Sophia Smale from successive deliveries to keep the visitors below 150. However, in the fifth over of their response, Surrey fell to 24 for 2 with Bryony Smith caught at cover off Sophie Munro and Kira Chathli missing when she swung at Eva Gray (2 for 22) leg before. Paige Scholfield was just beginning to look dangerous when she holed out to deep midwicket off Grewcock, but Spence took control with successive fours off Scrivens, a reverse sweep and a paddle. She continued to use the reverse sweep well throughout her six-over partnership of 51 with Monaghan (19 from 18), and she was given a life on 15 when Heap was unable to hold onto a tricky chance at midwicket. Spence reached 50 with a self-assured flick to the midwicket fence off Munro (two for 30). The seamer retaliated by casting her two balls later, but Harris struck a quick 29 not out from 18 to end the game.