Result: Surrey 204-5 beat Warwickshire 179-9 by 25 runs
By ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Kira Chathli’s belligerent first half-century in the 2025 Vitality Blast led table-toppers Surrey to a 25-run win over The Bears to strike a psychological blow ahead of Finals Day.
In what may prove a dress-rehearsal for the final itself in nine days’ time, the Surrey keeper thrashed 65 in 31 balls, including five sixes. She shared a second-wicket stand of 93 with Grace Harris (37 from 25) as the hosts piled up 204-5.
Laura Harris replied with a blistering 42 from 14 balls and Amu Surenkumar, who took 3-33 with ball weighed in with 36, but Priyanaz Chatterji’s 3-23 and 3-38 for Kalea Moore meant The Bears came up short on 179-9.
Bryony Smith began with a spate of early boundaries before losing her off-stump with Harris was the one to initially pick up the baton, three fours from one Issy Wong over taking Surrey to 59 by the end of the powerplay.
It was Chathli though who cut loose. Having survived an lbw shout from Hannah Baker’s first ball, the wicketkeeper/batter belted a full toss for six. It was the catalyst to a cascade of shots that cleared the ropes, the pick of which were two fabulous lofted drives which crashed into the sightscreen.
Chathli’s 50 came in 24 balls and there would be one more maximum before she holed out, ending a gem of a knock.
Harris, starved of strike lost patience and was caught trying to clear the long boundary at mid-wicket and despite cameos from Alice Monaghan (24) and Paige Scholfield (15) Surrey needed successive boundaries by Moore to get beyond 200.
Davina Perrin was given a life on one when Moore just failed to cling on to a catch in the deep diving forward, but she quickly atoned, safely pouching Meg Austin next ball to give Chatterji an early scalp.
Perrin didn’t make the most of her reprieve, lifting one from Moore to the safe hands of Harris at deep mid-off and Chatterji struck again to remove the dangerous Sterre Kalis, caught by Chathli standing up to the stumps.
The Bears’ woes worsened when Wong clubbed Monaghan’s first ball straight to Harris and the former Hampshire academy graduate should have had two when Laura Harris lofted one into the off-side but Alexa Stonehouse failed to cling on.
Harris, sister of Grace, celebrated by clearing the long boundary as she took 18 from one Tilly Corteen-Coleman over and Monaghan was similarly dismissed in the next as the Australian’s strike rate soared over 300. Monaghan though had the last laugh as Harris attempted to drive through the off-side and was bowled.
Surenkumar cleared the ropes as the teenager and Natasha Wraith added 60 to keep the visitors hopes alive, but both fell in quick succession and despite a few dropped catches in the deep, Surrey closed the game out.
“I was pretty happy with that innings,” Chathli said. “I think I started the season well and then maybe had a bit of a dip, so ahead of Finals Day it was nice to get some runs under my belt again.
“I thought I was on leg (for Hannah Baker’s lbw shout) but if I was umpiring I’d have probably given myself out, so I thought I’ve got my one life, I might as well use it.
“It was a good partnership with Grace. It was nice to take the lead on that partnership. Grace is great to bat with, very clear with her plans.
“We said to the bowlers, Laura was going to get a few away, but if you keep bowling your area she will miss one or hit one up because that’s going to happen and if she doesn’t then well played.
“Priya is going to be happy with that one I think. We dropped two catches off her so she could have been on for a five-for, but three wickets is fantastic. She just bowled really well and had clear plans.
“Our head coach has always been big on you need to do the small things, do the basics right. To beat them and put 200 on the board is making a statement against a team who potentially could be in the final against us.”
The Bears all-rounder Surenkumar: said: “It was bit unfortunate. Surrey got off to a flyer and scoring 200 is a big ask. As a group we did well to try and get as close as we did.
“They had a really good start in the powerplay, but as a bowling unit we recognised the short side and we did really well out of powerplay to restrict them to 200. We tried to make them hit to the long side and Wongy’s (Issy Wong) last two overs were unbelievable.
“It wasn’t the start we wanted, but we bat really deep and when you have a person like Laura Harris in your squad it is okay. She batted unbelievably as she always does.
“I like to always have faith. It’s a very good deck at the Oval and a quick outfield and there was a short side as well and Natasha is a very good batter. So I had faith we could somehow get over the line, but we didn’t on this occasion.
“It helped ”
