Sunrisers 189 for 7 (Scrivens 56). Northern Diamonds 188 for 9 (Villiers 4-36, Munro 3-25) by three wickets
Villiers, who turns 26 today, took 4 for 36 and Sophie Munro’s 3 for 25 provided valuable support as the Diamonds were restricted to 188 for 9.
The Diamonds, for whom Sterre Kallis scored 36 and Catherine Fraser 34, were left to rue dropped catches in the field but held on for the second and semi-finals.
Missing Lauren Winfield-Hill, who dropped out of the Caribbean Premier League, and Bess Heath, who was recalled by England, the Diamonds opted to bat on a used Chelmsford pitch.
Fraser provided the early impetus, a fast delivery picking up four of her fours, while Emma Marlowe hit back-to-back fours off Eva Gray. The bowler was compensated with the wicket of Fraser caught by Crewcock on the last ball of the powerplay.
The visitors were 67 for 1 before Villiers started the host’s fightback by catching tournament leading man Holly Armitage at short mid-on. The dismissal continued Armitage’s recent run of low-scoring games against the Northern Superchargers in the Hunter.
Villiers took the wicket of Marlowe, who was stopped on the pitch, before trapping Rebecca Duckworth lbw.
Kallis counter-attacked from the other end with Beth Langston with 50 off 60 balls, the former mixing powerful driving with some classy cut shots.
Although both fell in quick succession, Langston became Villiers’ fourth victim before Munro, Graham switched to Gallis at Gooch End Castle, who lost 3 for 11 in seven overs with a quick loan from Blaise.
After that, a tenacious ninth-wicket stand of 28 between debutant Maddy Ward and Katie Levick helped the Diamonds level the scores.
In a strange twist all nine Diamonds wickets were taken from the Graham Cooch end.
Ward caught Gardner early in the field to give Rachel Slater the breakthrough.
Gallis’ catching would prove less secure in an over, Griffith at first slip for 4 and Beth Langston had a straightforward chance to rescue the hapless bowlers.
Griffith, who endured a difficult spell with the London Spirit in the Hundred, celebrated life by lifting Levick for his first six of the day despite the franchise lifting the trophy. However, Fraser’s introduction led to his demise as Griffith skied the spinner’s fourth ball to the bowler, completing 53 runs.
Scrivens, driving well on the front and back foot through cover, sent another into the sky in the next over, which Ward got a hand to run to his right but couldn’t catch.
The scare survived and Scrivens soon took a toll on the Diamonds’ bowling, hitting Fraser for a towering six that took him to 50 off 62 balls with five fours.
The stand with Crewcock reached 60 when Scrivens took a soft catch to Levick at short fine leg as Marlowe tried to sweep.
Villiers was rewarded by the visitors when Kallis dropped her at mid-on with just four, but Sunrisers’ hearts were beating a little faster and then a mix-up between the batters saw Crewcock run out. 40 runs off a ball.
Villiers fell with 19 needed, Fraser (3 for 37) caused a late panic with the wickets of Miller and Gray, but Lizzie McLeod (23 not out) saw the Sunrisers over the line.