Maia Bouchier continued her mission to prove she should have been in England’s World Cup squad with a sublime 63 to extend Hampshire Hawks’ lead at the top of the Vitality Blast women’s competition table.

Bouchier was left out of Charlotte Edwards’ T20 squad at the end of April and has since churned out nine scores over fifty – including two tons. In total this season, for Hampshire and England, she has 941 runs, with 467 of those coming in June alone.

She dominated a chase of 129 to hand the Hawks an eight-wicket victory over Durham – helping them to boast a two-point lead over The Blaze at the summit.

Replying to 128 for 7, Hampshire had a slower powerplay – reaching 39 for the loss of Georgia Adams, four runs fewer than the visitors – but Bouchier was in control. She dragged a ball from well outside off stump over the midwicket boundary for a six to mix in with some well-timed offside strokes, along with risk-free running between the wickets.

This was her fifth half-century in June, with this one coming in a sensible 36 balls. Her 86-run partnership with Naomi Dattani made sure the chase was plain sailing, despite falling with nine runs still required.

Dattani made sure the winning line was easily cleared with a classy clip over the offside, to end up 33 not out.

The Hawks were incessant with the ball, and with the pitch being used for a sixth time, it meant free-flowing scoring and timing were hard for the batters. Having watched both openers bowled, Emily Windsor fought against the slow nature of the pitch with a flurry of forceful boundaries – using her feet particularly well.

The Hampshire-born batter, who previously played for Southern Vipers, top scored with 30 before she was on the receiving end of a stunning leg-to-off-stump turner from Tyson. After Windsor had departed, no one else reached 20, but all scraped to double-figures.

Poppy Tulloch’s two wickets in three balls in the 16th over stifled a bit of batting momentum – with Mia Rogers and Heather Graham combining 32 runs in the previous four overs.

Tulloch ended up with 2 for 28, and Tyson 2 for 24, to lead the wicket-taking, but the miserliness of Adams, Dattani and Amanda-Jade Wellington were key for the hosts.