Georgia Adams after Southern Vipers return to winning ways: "I reflected a lot this week"

Set 178 for victory against Western Storm, Adams continued her remarkable run of form against the west-country outfit

Southern Vipers captain Georgia Adams was yet to find her form in the 2021 edition of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, until facing her favoured rivals in Western Storm. In the previous two encounters with the west-country side, the opening batter scored a tidy 55 and her highest score to date – an unbeaten 154 – to bring her average against Storm at an extraordinary 104.5.

In 2020, Adams was the leading run-scorer of the regional competition with 500 runs in seven innings, including a match-winning 80 against Northern Diamonds in the final to lift the trophy. Undefeated in eight matches, Vipers had their first reality check last week in a 120-run loss against Central Sparks.

The first taste of failure – perhaps even a sense of grounding – came thanks to a bowling masterclass from seamers Emily Arlott and Issy Wong, with Arlott’s hat-trick helping to earn a call-up into England’s Test squad.

“I think being undefeated, I guess, comes with pressure and sometimes the pressure builds or as a team you can get complacent,” said Adams, speaking after a return to winning ways against Storm.

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“And you know, actually to have that defeat and to see how hurt the girls were was really tough. It was tough going through it, but then actually being at training this week with the girls and seeing how everyone's focus and everyone's attitudes lifted and realigned, I think it could only have been a good thing for us and I think now we have set the standards this weekend, at the game today having shown how we want to play our cricket, so we’ve just got to keep lifting each week like we did last year.”

Western Storm set a sub-par score of 177 for Vipers to chase after superb spells from Charlie Dean and Lauren Bell, who took three wickets each. Opening the batting, Danni Wyatt played in explosive fashion for 28, while Adams kept her composure to make her first half century of the 2021 season.

“Obviously, we played on probably the best wicket we have played on yet in the competition and we knew we had to regroup after last week’s defeat, and we trained so hard in this build-up,” she added. “The girls were so clinical, and to go out and play in the way in which we did is a big win for us.

“They’re a tough side, they always are. We always know that they’re fighters and they battle. So, to get this win I am so pleased for the girls.”

Adams’ contribution was backed up by a knock of 57 not out by Maia Bouchier to give Vipers maximum points, sending them to the top of the table.

“They actually do bowl really well and they go at the stumps, so it never feels easy which is a bit ironic with the win,” explained Adams. “But we love to come down here and it’s nice to be on an absolute belter of a pitch. We knew we had to stay patient and for me personally I haven’t scored the runs I’ve wanted to, so I knew I had to dig in and see my side home.

“It’s always good to find form; this was the first season going into it where I have felt a little bit of pressure because of all the talk about last year and I keep getting asked about England.

“Actually I reflected a lot this week and just said last year I haven’t enjoyed playing cricket as much as that in such a long, long time so I said to myself regardless of what happens today there will be a smile on my face and I’m just going to go out and enjoy it, and I do think for anyone you play your best cricket when you are enjoying it.”