Vipers 86 for 3 (Knott 45) beat Thunder 85 (Smith 3-9, Knott 3-15) by seven wickets
Australian allrounder Charli Knott starred with ball and then bat as defending champions Southern Vipers put Lancashire Thunder in a spin at Emirates Old Trafford en route to a crucial seven-wicket victory in the race for Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day later this month.
Vipers bowled their hosts out for just 85 in 19.5 overs as spinners Linsey Smith and Knott returned 3 for 9 and 3 for 15 respectively from their excellent four-over spells.
That virtually settled a clash between a Thunder side who started the day fourth in the table, one point ahead of Vipers in fifth. After impressing with her offspinners, Knott opened the batting for the Vipers and dominated their chase with 45 off 28 balls.
Vipers won with 55 balls remaining. No side in CE Cup history has ever claimed a quicker victory.
Vipers, champions in 2022 and 2023, continued their dominance over Thunder in the regional era and won this one with a bonus point, claiming the maximum five points available for their third win in six games. Thunder have now won two and lost four. Both have four group games left.
Across both 50-over and T20 cricket, Vipers are unbeaten in 10 matches against the Red Rose, winning nine. One was last season's T20 semi-final. The odd one out was a 50-over tie.
Unfortunately for Thunder, they didn't get anywhere near victory here - in spin-friendly conditions - and only just avoided posting the lowest ever total in the three-and-a-half-year history of this T20 competition.
That still belongs to the now defunct Lightning side, who were bowled out for 81 by Central Sparks at Leicester in 2021. Thunder, however, did post their own lowest T20 regional total. Former Viper Tara Norris top-scored with 13 down the order.
Eight of Thunder's 10 wickets fell to spin amidst a flurry of injudicious shots. England offie Charlie Dean and captain Georgia Adams both struck once, added to two for seamer Freya Davies.
England fringe left-arm spinner Smith set the tone in a three-over spell with the new ball, bowling Australian Katie Mack, Seren Smale and Emma Lamb.
The departures of Mack and Smale, one trying to cut a ball too close to her and the other playing across the line, came in successive deliveries in the third over, leaving Thunder 11 for 3. Smith later had Lamb bowled off an under-edge trying to sweep.
Two of Knott's wickets came courtesy of Rhianna Southby stumpings as Danni Collins and Kate Cross departed. She also had Ellie Threlkeld caught at mid-off.
Dean had England team-mate Sophie Ecclestone caught at cover for 4.
As wickets fell, Thunder continued to attack - until the point of no return. Norris came in at 58 for 7 in the 13th over and compiled her 13 without hitting a boundary. In hindsight, more of her team-mates should have adopted the same calm approach.
Overseas allrounder Knott then drove the first ball of the Vipers' chase, off Cross, to the cover boundary, and latched onto anything full or short in hitting nine fours.
By the time England spin legend Ecclestone came on to bowl the fourth over, Vipers were set at 25 without loss.
They never looked like letting things slip, despite Ecclestone getting Knott stumped by Threlkeld - 55 for 1 in the sixth. Ella McCaughan fell without adding to the score as Ecclestone claimed two of the three consolatory wickets for Thunder.
