SKIPPER Lauren Winfield reckons Yorkshire Diamonds showed big improvements in their Kia Super League opener against Western Storm - despite their hefty defeat.

Defending champions Storm won by seven wickets at Taunton, England captain Heather Knight posting a decisive knock of 98 as they reached their target with 4.3 overs to spare.

Aussie Delissa Kimmince had earlier hit an unbeaten 55 in her maiden KSL innings for the Diamonds as they set a seemingly competitive T20 total of 162-5.

Winfield, the Stamford Bridge and England star, said of the Yorkshire women's show: "We're a new-look side this season and, despite the result, we've made some big improvements already.

"We talked about being more competitive this season and, in some areas, we produced exactly what we had talked about before the match.

"I felt we fell a bit short in the power-play, but our batting between overs six and 10 and again at the death was really good.

"Storm did well to restrict us and I was worried that 162 would not be enough on this ground.

"Some of Storm's big-name batters came off in a big way for them and that made things hard for us. But we played better than in last season's corresponding fixture and I'm sure we will continue to improve as the competition progresses.

"It was good to get some runs at the top of the order and Delissa Kimmince played very well to make a 50 on her debut. She should be hugely encouraged by that innings."