Linsey Smith claimed a career best List A five-for as the Diamonds returned to Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy action with a clinical win over Western Storm at Durham in early September.
Having lost to the Storm in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at the same venue a couple of weeks earlier, the hosts were not about to let the same thing happen again, despite Sophie Luff’s composed 65.
From 109-2, Storm slipped to 183 all out as left-arm spinner Smith claimed 5-34 from 9.1 overs, including four of her wickets bowled, while Beth Langston and Katie Levick expertly supported her with two wickets apiece.
Langston was returning to the side after a quad injury, while the Diamonds were also boosted by the inclusion of England opener Lauren Winfield-Hill as they claimed a fourth win out of five group games.
This, following a run of T20 and Hundred games, was the first 50-over game since mid-June - and it was a victory which strengthened the side’s hopes of a place in the final at Northampton.
The chase was built around Hollie Armitage’s unbeaten 68 off 69 balls, a real captain’s innings at the top of the order.
She hit seven boundaries and shared half-century partnerships for the second and fourth wickets with Sterre Kalis and Bess Heath, who both hit 32 apiece.
Like Armitage, Heath was unbeaten in the seven-wicket win secured with 18.5 overs remaining.
After defeat in the CE Cup final less than a week earlier, this was the perfect response, with Smith bettering her only previous List A five-for - 5-39 playing for Heather Knight captained Berkshire against Somerset in 2012.
On that occasion, like this game, she also bowled Sophie Luff.