RHF Trophy: Lauren Winfield-Hill hits 93 as Northern Diamonds cruise past Thunder

Lauren Winfield-Hill hit a rapid 93 as Northern Diamonds opened their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy account with a six-wicket win over Thunder at Sale.

Emma Lamb top-scored with 82 off 80 balls as Thunder stuttered to 235-7 from their 50 overs.

Winfield-Hill missed out on England's squad for the South Africa series, but responded with 14 fours in 72 balls.

She shared a 116-run second-wicket stand with Holly Armitage (47) as Diamonds won with 46 balls to spare.

Lamb and Deandra Dottin (26) got the hosts off to a fast start, but the innings lost momentum after Linsey Smith (2-34) yorked the opener in the 29th over with the score on 154-4.

Only Shachi Pai (41 not out) kicked on as Thunder added just 81 runs in the final 21.4 overs after the dismissal of Lamb, who made her Test debut last week.

Armitage and Winfield-Hill took any sting out the chase by adding a fluent 116 in 102 balls, moving Diamonds to 145-1 in the 24th over.

Winfield-Hill skied a straight drive to Georgie Boyce off Alex Hartley to fall seven shy of a second ton in the competition and prompt a mini wobble, but Bess Heath (51 not out) and Sterre Kalis (35 not out) eased the visitors to their target.

Diamonds joined Western Storm, South East Stars and Southern Vipers as winners in the opening weekend of the competition.

Loughborough: Lightning v Thunder

Headingley: Northern Diamonds v Sunrisers

Hove: Southern Vipers v South East Stars

Bristol: Western Storm v Central Sparks