Jemima Spence completed back-to-back Vitality Blast half-centuries as Surrey recovered from their first defeat of the campaign by overcoming Essex at the Kia Oval.

Spence, who registered her maiden Blast 50 in a losing cause against Somerset last time out, backed it up with a bustling 52 from 31 balls, including nine fours, to steer her side towards victory with 2.2 overs to spare.

That maintained the defending champions’ position at the top of the table and denied Essex a third consecutive win despite an impressive 85 not out from 63 by skipper Grace Scrivens, who batted right through their total of 145 for six.

Surrey off-spinner Kalea Moore took two for 19, her two wickets coming from successive deliveries in the final over.

The home side’s decision to bowl after winning the toss initially looked ill-advised as Scrivens pummelled Bethan Miles for four boundaries in the first over, which went for 19.

The Essex captain scored freely off the back foot, but a straight drive off Moore was deflected onto the stumps by the bowler to run out Lissy Macleod and end an opening stand of 36 from 23.

Three tight overs from Alice Monaghan helped to stifle Essex and Alice Davidson-Richards, whose first two balls had been cut to the point boundary by Scrivens, claimed the second wicket with a full toss that Liberty Heap smacked to deep midwicket.

Jodi Grewcock (19 from 16) looked nicely set, only to be run out after she and Scrivens both hesitated over a risky off-side single to Laura Harris and Essex were never able to regain momentum.

Ryana MacDonald-Gay (1 for 23) gave away just six from the penultimate over, which included the wicket of Jo Gardner before Moore closed out the innings, bowling Flo Miller and Sophia Smale from successive deliveries to keep the visitors below 150.

However, Surrey slumped to 24 for 2 in the fifth over of their reply, with Bryony Smith caught at cover off Sophie Munro and Kira Chathli leg before when she swung at Eva Gray (2 for 22) and missed.

Paige Scholfield was just beginning to look dangerous when she holed out to deep midwicket off Grewcock, but Spence took control with successive fours off Scrivens, a reverse sweep and a paddle.

She was given a life on 15, with Heap unable to cling onto a tricky chance at midwicket and continued deploying the reverse sweep to good effect in her six-over partnership of 51 with Monaghan (19 from 18).

A confident flick to the midwicket fence off Munro (2 for 30) took Spence to 50 and, although the seamer took revenge by castling her two balls later, Harris smashed a brisk 29 not out from 18 to put the game to bed.