Durham, Somerset, Lancashire Win in Women's One-Day Cup Opener

The opening round of the revamped Women's One-Day Cup saw standout performances and dramatic finishes as Durham, Somerset, and Lancashire all notched wins. Durham cruised past Essex by nine wickets, thanks to a four-wicket haul from Phoebe Turner and an unbeaten 93 by New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who partnered with captain Hollie Armitage for a 173-run stand. Somerset chased down an adjusted target against Surrey, with Heather Knight contributing 64 in her first knock since being removed as England captain, helping her team score 18 runs in the final over for a seven-wicket win. Lancashire, led by Emma Lamb's unbeaten 130 and three wickets, secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory over The Blaze. A thriller at Edgbaston ended in a tie as Warwickshire and Hampshire both scored 208, with the final wicket falling to a last-ball run out. The ECB described this new top-tier competition as a significant evolution in women's domestic cricket, featuring top international and local talent.