Lightning were unable to overhaul the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy-holders in their first fixture of 2021, going down by four wickets to Southern Vipers at the Ageas Bowl.
Despite a fiery spell from former Notts spinner Kirstie Gordon (four for 35), who bowled her ten overs straight through and took out all four of the Vipers top order, the hosts reached their 215-run target with 3.1 overs to spare – the highlight being a 55-ball half-century churned out by Danni Wyatt.
Earlier, Lightning had been restricted to 214 for nine thanks to a zippy spell from left-arm seamer Tara Norris (3-47), who also held a good catch in the deep to see off Tammy Beaumont (57).
Vipers had initially looked easily on course in their chase, reaching 51 without loss in the opening powerplay. However, Gordon – introduced in the 10th over – induced a miscue from last year’s leading tournament run-scorer Georgia Adams (28), and followed it up with the crucial wicket of Wyatt.
By the time she was done Vipers had sunk to 135-4, and only the end of her 10-over spell allowed Charlie Dean (32) and Paige Scholfield (38*) the breathing space to get the job done.
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Lightning were reduced to 4 for four in the first ten overs, with opener Sarah Bryce and South African Michaela Kirk both departing for ducks. Bryce fell in the very first over of the day, caught behind slashing outside off at a Lauren Bell delivery, to a huge roar from the newly-returned crowd.
Sister Kathryn, fresh from an unbeaten 45 for Scotland against Ireland earlier in the week, fared slightly better with 13, but became the first of Norris’s three victims in the sixth over when she miscued a pull shot and was caught in the deep.
ICC no.1 ranked ODI batter Beaumont did her best to anchor the innings, sharing a crucial 59-run partnership with Nottinghamshire’s Lucy Higham (32) and bringing up an 86-ball half-century in the 32nd over.
However, she holed out to Norris at deep backward square leg two overs later. A 34-run partnership between sisters Teresa and Yvonne Graves – who both played crucial roles in Nottinghamshire’s recent unbeaten T20 campaign – at the back end of the innings allowed Lightning to clock up just over 200. However, it proved not quite enough on a good wicket.