Lee, van Niekerk lead Surrey Stars to the Finals Day

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Yash Lahoti
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Lizelle Lee stars Stars win to keep hopes alive

Lizelle Lee scored a rapid half-century. ©Sky Sports

This was the most important encounter of the 3 games that took place today. A win for Surrey Stars would book them a finals day berth while a win for Western Storm and a loss for Loughborough Lightning would have placed Storm to reach the finals directly. By the end of the day, Surrey Stars beat Western Storm for the 2nd time this season to face them again in the semifinals on the 27th.

Stars skipper Nat Sciver earlier won the toss and asked Storm to bat first. Priest and Mandhana opened the innings for the defending champions. As was the case, everyone expected it to go well but for the first time this season, the India vice-captain got out on a single digit score with a mix up in the middle with Priest. Priest, however, scored 30 off 20 before getting out to van Niekerk.

Heather Knight continued her splendid form this season. After losing Taylor, Wilson ably supported her skipper with a 59 runs partnership for the 4th wicket. Knight brought up yet another half-century finishing her innings on 62 off 47 with 8 fours to her credit as Storm put 158 runs on the board.

van Niekerk picked up two important wickets of Priest and Taylor.

It was not a very daunting but at the same time not a very easy total on the board. Lee and Smith started off quite well putting up 37 on the board in the powerplay without losing a single wicket. Both the openers changed their gears hitting 54 in the next four overs before Lee lost her wicket in the 10th over for 48. Taylor and Smith soon followed her in the span of 7 balls.

Nat Sciver and Dane van Niekerk then put up a 45 runs partnership to put Surrey Stars back in the race, hereby, ensuring they beat Storm and reach the finals day. But Sciver followed van Niekerk in the pavilion with only 9 runs needed to win.

Dunkley and Kapp did the rest and Stars won the game with 2 balls to spare. Surrey Stars win by 5 wickets, beat Storm for the 2nd time this season to set up a date with them again in the semifinals of the Super League in Hove on the 27th August, the winner of which faces Loughborough Lightning in the finals on the same day.
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