Success for spin and an unbeaten Kira Chathli half-century helped Surrey boost their Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockout chances with a nervy two-wicket victory over Yorkshire at picturesque Ampleforth College.

Yorkshire started well thanks largely to captain Lauren Winfield-Hill, who shared 52 inside seven overs with Alice Clarke and went on to make 48. But the hosts lost all 10 wickets for 119 to be bowled out for 171 in 33 overs.

South African overseas all-rounder Sune Luus starred with three for 33 from nine overs of leg-spin, added to two wickets apiece for England left-armer Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Alice Monaghan’s seam.

Surrey’s sixth win in 12 games was then secured amidst a chase which slipped from 106 for three to 148 for eight and required captain Chathli to top score with 66 off 75 balls from the middle order. Seamer Hannah Rainey struck three times for Yorkshire.

Having elected to bowl, Surrey settled slowly but gained success when they did, helped by some scrambled Yorkshire decision-making.

After Luus trapped Clarke lbw with her first ball, Winfield-Hill was stumped advancing at Corteen-Coleman’s second ball before Amelia Oliver and Ami Campbell were both run out attempting sharp singles to midwicket and cover.

Luus also had Sterre Kalis caught at long-on before Monaghan removed Erin Thomas and Beth Langston – 129 for seven in the 25th over.

The spin of Corteen-Coleman and Luus struck again, while Sarah Glenn’s 32 at least got Yorkshire up to some sort of respectability in the first competitive county fixture to be played at this North Yorkshire venue.

But, despite the pitch taking spin and not being straightforward for batting, the home side needed more to seriously threaten a Surrey batting line-up including England internationals Capsey, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Davidson-Richards.

Seamer Jess Woolston did get Dunkley caught at mid-off for five in the second over of the Surrey chase – seven for one – and then Capsey caught at midwicket for 26 in the 12th over with the score on 43.

Former South Africa captain Luus added 19 to her earlier wickets, but she failed to make the most of a start when bowled by Glenn’s leg-spin with the score on 61.

At the stage, Yorkshire had a glimmer of hope.

Surrey reached 25 overs at 101 for three, with Davidson-Richards and Chathli seemingly taking the sting out of things by sharing 45.

But they slipped to 148 for eight after 36 overs, with Rainey getting Jemima Spence caught behind and Monaghan and Aylish Cranstone caught at backward point en-route. Claudie Cooper had earlier got Davidson-Richards caught and bowled for 28.

Still, Yorkshire needed skilful Chathli’s wicket, and they didn’t get it. She posted her fifth summer half-century across all cricket, off 59 balls, and her back-to-back boundaries off Cooper to win it.

Yorkshire, missing Jess Jonassen – knee, have now lost eight of their 12 matches and are all but out of the running for a knockout place.