ARTICLE AD BOX
Durham, Somerset and Lancashire all won in the One-Day Cup as the revamped top flight of the women's domestic season got under way.
Meanwhile a dramatic game at Edgbaston saw Warwickshire tie with Hampshire following a last-ball run out for the Bears.
Another match that went down to the final delivery was between Surrey and Somerset.
With both innings reduced to 33 overs because of rain, Somerset chased an adjusted target of 238 to win by seven wickets.
Heather Knight, batting for the first time since being removed as England captain in March, led the way for Somerset with 64 and they scored 18 off the final over to secure victory.
New Zealand opener Suzie Bates made an unbeaten 93 in Durham's nine-wicket win over Essex, while England batter Emma Lamb scored a superb 130 not out as Lancashire chased down 235 to beat The Blaze by eight wickets.
The eight top-tier sides will contest the One-Day Cup and T20 Blast and the ECB has called it "the next stage in the evolution of women's cricket".
Bates is arguably one of the biggest names in women's cricket having scored more than 10,000 runs for New Zealand.
And the 37-year-old demonstrated her class on debut, scoring freely on both sides of the wicket as Durham chased down Essex's 177 all out with little trouble.
Captain Hollie Armitage provided fine support, making 64 not out, as the pair put on an unbroken 173 for the second wicket.
Having taken three wickets, Lancashire opener Lamb then became the first batter to score a century in this season's competition as the visitors made light work of The Blaze's 234 all out at Trent Bridge.
The Blaze looked well placed at 146-2, but Lamb's 3-42 and Hannah Jones' 3-38 restricted the hosts, despite an innings of 70 from Scotland's Kathryn Bryce.
Katie Mack (44) and Seren Smale (38 not out) both provided fine support for Lamb as Lancashire chased down their target with five overs to spare.
In Birmingham, Hampshire posted 208 as wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby top scored with 72.
England pair Linsey Smith (4-39) and Lauren Bell (2-44) looked to have set up victory for Hampshire when they reduced Warwickshire to 189-9, still needing 20 to win.
Last-wicket pair Georgia Davis and Hannah Baker took the scores level with one ball left, but Davis was run out attempting the single required.
At Beckenham, Surrey's innings was delayed by rain but they managed to post 243-7 off their 33 overs. Alice Davidson-Richards top scored with an unbeaten 57 off 47 balls.
Knight and 21-year-old Emma Corney (61) shared an opening stand of 122, but once both went in the space of three overs the required run-rate began to climb.
Needing 15 off Davidson-Richards' last over, Fran Wilson (36 not out) pulled the last ball for four to secure a thrilling victory.