Saskia Horley struck an unbeaten 108 to give Middlesex Women a convincing 8-wicket victory over Essex on Saturday.
With Middlesex Women losing the toss and being asked to bowl first by the visitors at Haberdasher's Boys School, Essex got off to a strong start, reaching 86 for 1 in the 23rd over, before Bhavika Gajipra (1 for 33) ended a partnership worth 70 between Jasmine Westley (33) and Bella Howarth (84).
Some tight middle overs bought Middlesex back into the game thanks to bowling from Anisha Dissanayake, Sonali Patel (2 for 51) and Gajipra as the visitors batted nicely but were unable to increase the run rate over 5 runs per over.
Opener Howarth, top scored for Essex and batted through most of the innings before being caught by Izzy Routledge off the bowling of Kate Coppack (2 for 39) and fellow opening bowler Layla Judge kept things tight at the back end of the innings, finishing with strong figures of 2 for 26 from 8 overs.
Essex Captain and Sunrisers professional player Kelly Castle provided some strong resistance for the away team, scoring 32 from 40 deliveries before falling to Judge in the 38th over.
Middlesex were switched on in the field throughout and found the reward of two run outs to wrap up the Essex innings with an over to go, with the visitors bowled out for 211.
Looking for back to back London Championship victories, Middlesex began their run chase with confidence, reaching 35 from 7 overs with both Horley and Routledge (16) finding the boundary and running well between the wickets.
Routledge was first to fall, caught off the bowling of Grace Poole but the arrival of Artemis Downer helped continue the Seaxes momentum and a partnership of 70 moved the score onto 105 from 21 overs.
Horley was the more positive of the batting pair, moving to her half century in just 65 deliveries with 5 fours.
Hannah Davies broke the partnership when Downer was caught by Sally Chapman for 26, leaving Middlesex needing a further 107 to win from 28.3 overs.
Lucy Porter came to the crease at number four and batted fluently for a fine knock of 49, striking 7 boundaries in a knock that kept her side very much in the ascendency.
The partnership of Porter and Horley reached 100 runs in 103 balls and as Middlesex moved passed the 200 mark, opener Horley was into the 90's.
The Australian didn't hang around and made sure there were no nervous nineties as she found the rope and scored her first century for Middlesex Women. A technically wonderful and fluent knock from the right hander who's 100 came from 115 deliveries.
With plenty of overs remaining, Horley once again found the boundary to get Middlesex over the line in the 39th over complete an 8-wicket victory.
Congratulations to Middlesex Women on a fantastic win. They are next in action against Surrey Women tomorrow night at the Oval, when they switch to the T20 format of the game to take on their London rivals in the London Cup.
View the full scorecard HERE
Middlesex Women 1st XI
Essex Women 1st XI
