SOMERSET Women advanced to the quarter finals of the Vitality T20 County Cup when they beat Yorkshire by nine runs at Scarborough.

Sophie Luff won the toss, elected to bat and shared an opening stand of 37 with Bex Odgers , who raced to 24 before she miscued and was caught.

Ruby Davis had moved to 13 from 10 balls when she looked to ramp Sarah Glenn but was bowled at 58 for two.

Somerset went to three figures in the 11th over before the third wicket partnership of Luff and Niamh Holland reached 50 from 32 deliveries.

Luff’s 12th T20 half century for arrived from 36 balls when she dispatched Glenn to the boundary, and the partnership reached three figures from 58 deliveries.

The Somerset skipper added one more run when she perished making Somerset 161 for three in the 17th over. The partnership had been worth 103.

Alex Griffiths was promoted up the order but fell for 10 at 182 for four to the opening ball of a dramatic final over, skying Ines Blackwell to Oliver.

Chloe Skelton was caught by Langston off the third ball while the fifth delivery saw Oliver spill a regulation chance to give Katie Jones a life. Oliver made amends off the next ball, the final delivery of the innings, when she caught Holland (75 from 44) as Somerset ended 183 for six, their second highest T20 score.

The Yorkshire chase got off to the worst possible start when Skelton claimed the wicket of Erin Thomas (0) with the final ball of the first over. The opening batter looked to sweep but could only pick out Lola Harris at fine leg.

The score had advanced to 45 in the fifth over when Vukusic took the pace off one and enticed Ami Campbell (34 from 18) into miss timing to Jess Hazell.

The hosts went to 50 off the last ball of the fifth over and by the end of the six-over powerplay the scoreboard was showing 54 for two. However, Holland had Glenn caught at point by Ellie Anderson to leave the hosts on 56 for three in the seventh.

Vukusic then completely bamboozled Oliver with a slower ball to remove her lbw for 15 at 97 for four in the 11th over.

The Yorkshire 100 ticked over on the scoreboard in the 12th over and was just about visible to those present through the sea fret rolling across the ground.

In the absence of overseas players, Yorkshire needed a big innings from Lauren Winfield-Hill and she did not disappoint the White Rose supporters. She reached 50 from just 23 balls, 16 of those coming in the 13th over which was bowled by Harris.

The Yorkshire skipper had advanced to 65 from just 33 deliveries when she looked to ramp Vukusic but miscued to Harris at fine leg at 146 for five.

With Winfield-Hill’s demise, those present of a Somerset persuasion might have thought that Yorkshire’s hopes had evaporated. However, the penultimate over, sent down by Holland, was worth 16 runs.

Needing 13 from the final over Skelton held her nerve and bowled Alice Clarke (25 from 28) with the fourth delivery before sharp work from Jones saw Rebecca Duckworth stumped off the final ball of the match as Yorkshire finished short on 174 for seven.