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 six before bowling out Loughborough for 117 in 18.3 overs at Hove.

Surrey’s total was the second highest in this season’s competition and Loughborough never recovered from 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, with Lee dominating the attack by hitting a total of 19 boundaries in what was a stunning knock.

“That is probably my best innings in this format,” the South African admitted. “I’m just so pleased for the rest of the team. We’ve had some ups and downs in the tournament but we’ve produced our best performance when it mattered most in the final.

“They dropped me a couple of times and when that happens and you know it’s your day you have to make the most of it.”

On the knock, captain Nat Sciver added: “Lizelle played a fantastic innings. I know she is capable of that because we’ve seen it in the other games and it’s been quite scary watching her in the nets leading up to the final because of how hard she has been hitting the ball.”

It was clear from the start that Lee meant business, lofting England seamer Jenny Gunn over long-off in the opening over for the first of her six sixes.

Lizelle Lee
Lizelle Lee was a force to be reckoned with at Hove (John Walton/PA)

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 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.

They needed a strong start in reply 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 three 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 three for 37 and 19-year-old off-spinner Mady Villiers ran through the tail to finish with three for 22.