Surrey Stars crowned Kia Super League champions at The 1st Central County Ground

South African Lizelle Lee smashed the fastest hundred in the history of the Kia Super League to help power Surrey Stars to their first title in a one-sided final against Loughborough Lightning.

Lee made 104, including a century off just 55 balls, as Surrey piled up 183 for 6 before bowling out Loughborough for 117 in 18.3 overs at The 1st Central County Ground.

Surrey’s total was the second highest in this season’s competition and Loughborough never recovered fafterom losing three wickets in the powerplay as Surrey’s spinners took eight of the wickets to fall.

Surrey had reached the final by beating reigning champions Western Storm by nine runs earlier in the day and they carried the momentum that had seen them win five of their last six games into the final.

Lee went on the offensive from the start, lofting England seamer Jenny Gunn over long-off in the opening over for the first of her six sixes.

Loughborough skipper Georgia Elwiss, who had put Surrey into bat, rang the changes in her attack, but none of her bowlers could contain the 26-year-old who hit 88 of her runs – 13 fours and six sixes – in boundaries at a strike rate of 179.31.

Together with skipper Nat Sciver, whose 72 had been crucial in their eliminator win over Western Storm, they thrashed 111 off 10.4 overs for the third wicket.

Lee had one reprieve on 33 when Georgia Adams failed to hold onto a very difficult chance running around the long-on boundary but otherwise there was little Loughborough could do to contain her as she hit powerfully on both sides of the wicket.

Lee brought up her century with a six off Lucy Higham in the 16th over before she was dismissed in the next over, caught on the long-off boundary by Rachel Haynes off left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon, who finished the competition’s highest wicket-taker with 17. Loughborough managed to drag it back a little in the closing overs but the damage had been done.

Loughborough needed a strong start but their challenge was effectively over when they slumped to 26 for 3 in the fourth over.

Sophie Devine, who required treatment to her right arm after falling heavily in the field, was leg before to Marizanne Kapp, who also bowled Elise Villani after Amy Jones was beaten by Dane van Niekerk’s leg break.

Loughborough were 36 for 3 after the powerplay and when Rachel Haynes, their leading run scorer this season with 319, was caught by player of the match Lee at point in the next over their challenge fizzled out.

Gunn top scored with 19 while van Niekerk made it a good day for Surrey’s South Africans by taking 3 for 37 and 19-year-old off-spinner Mady Villiers ran through the tail to finish with 3 for 22.