Hampshire recorded their seventh straight victory after chasing down the Bears’ total of 166 for five with six balls to spare.
Acting home captain Katie George scored 67 (49 balls) but Adams’ two for 21 from four overs led a tight team bowling display which kept Warwickshire below par. Hampshire then reached 167 for six from 19 overs as Adams smashed 53 from 29 balls and Nancy Harman added 49 from 26.
Put in, Warwickshire started brightly as openers George and Georgia Redmayne (26 from 24) added 41 from 36 balls before the latter was superbly caught at deep mid-wicket by Harman off Naomi Dattani.
The guile and experience of Adams kept the batters on a leash. Hampshire’s skipper conceded just 13 from her first three overs which included the wicket of Amu Surenkumar, caught at long on, and then struck first ball when she returned for her fourth, bowling Charis Pavely. A third wicket should have followed four balls later but George, having just posted a 42-ball half-century, was dropped at long on by Francesca Sweet.
George perished next over, yorked by Amanda-Jade Wellington and, having scored a modest 36 from 36 and 35 from the first three quarters of the innings, the home side needed late impetus. Em Arlott supplied some with an unbeaten 22 from ten balls but her side still came in short.
Adams launched Hampshire’s reply with three fours from the first over, from Arlott, before Mary Taylor’s fourth ball rattled Ella McCaughan’s leg-stump. Taylor struck again when Abi Norgrove inside-edged to wicketkeeper Sophie Beech who also accepted an edge from Sweet off Hannah Baker.
Adams reached a 26-ball half-century with a six off Millie Taylor, but the bowler gained her revenge three balls later when the batter hit a full toss to mid off. At 90 for four after ten overs, the game was finely balanced.
It tilted Warwickshire’s way when Baker bowled Wellington behind her legs but Harman, after a careful start, smote Phoebe Brett for ten in two balls, which put Hampshire in control. Harman and Dattani added a decisive 55 from 35 balls and when Harman lifted Surenkumar to long on, Hampshire could nurdle the remaining 15 runs with 21 balls at their disposal.
