Freya Davies’ impeccable four-for set up Southern Vipers’ seven-wicket bonus point victory over South East Stars to cement their place at the top of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table.

Former Stars fast bowler Davies hadn’t taken four in an innings since taking four for 23 in a T20 for England against New Zealand in March 2021.

But she extracted great pace to take four for 14 at Falkland Cricket Club, to restrict Stars to 120 – with hometown hero Ava Lee and Charli Knott both grabbing two wickets a piece.

Knott – on her penultimate appearance – then made sure the chase was straightforward with a classy 57, as holders Vipers avenged their Charlotte Edwards Cup semi-final defeat to Stars in style.

Mary Taylor made the initial breakthrough when she found Tash Farrant edging a drive behind to Megan Sturge.

But Davies was the bigger danger in dumping the visitors to 22 for four with her swing bamboozling Bryony Smith, Alexa Stonehouse and Kalea Moore.

Alice Davidson-Richards and Bethan Miles recovered things somewhat by putting on 35 but another collapse of 25 for four stymied Stars.

Miles and Aylish Cranstone were undone by the smart spin of Charli Knott, before the Australian turned Elastigirl to incredibly catch Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones in the legside deep.

It was the start of two wickets in an over for Ava Lee as the England under-19s spinner had Davidson-Richards caught behind.

Chloe Hill and Ryana Macdonald Gay held things up with a patient 34-run partnership for the ninth wicket before Hill was run out at the non-striker's end and Dani Gregory was Davies’ fourth victim and Sturge’s third.

Where Stars had only scored six boundaries in their entire innings, Vipers, led by Knott, had equalled that inside 14 overs.

Knott and Ella McCaughan put on 46 for the first wicket inside eight overs before the latter was outfoxed by a big turning offie from Moore.

Georgia Adams, after a 43-run alliance with Knott, and Emily Windsor fell but Knott was graceful in dispatching width to reach a 56-ball fifty.

It was only right that Knott would cut the winning runs as Vipers romped to the target in 23 overs.