The Blaze won comfortably by six wickets in a game at Derby that, at times, Sunrisers made them work hard for. An unbeaten 87 and four for 41 from Kathryn Bryce ensured that her side kept themselves in with a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Cordelia Griffith top-scored for the Sunrisers as they set The Blaze 246 to win, before Tammy Beaumont 59, the Bryces, Sarah 41, and Kathryn with 87 not out laid the platform on which The Blaze built victory.
Both teams went into today’s game knowing that a top-fourspot was up for grabs, with The Blaze still needing results elsewhere to go their way. With destiny still in their hands, Sunrisers won the toss and chose to bat first on a green-looking track. The Sunrisers raced to 19 from the first three overs as Grace Ballinger and Kathryn Bryce looked to find their groove. The Blaze knew they had to be patient, and the breakthrough came in the tenth over as Grace Scrivens chipped a return catch to Kathryn Bryce for 21.
Jo Gardner followed two overs later to Kirstie Gordon’s second ball, attempting a sweep shot and missing to depart for 13. Sunrisers regrouped and 89 for the third wicket between Cordelia Griffith and Jodi Grewcock ensured that they reached a decent total. Griffith would top score with 65 from 73 balls. She was watchful at the beginning of her innings and Grewcock was the more fluent of the two batters. Both grew more confident and started to score freely as the mid-innings drinks break drew closer.
Griffith struck the first six of the day, depositing Josie Groves, the young leg-spinner, over deep mid-wicket. Groves’s first over went for 14 and, on another day, might have been taken out of the attack, but Gordon, the captain stuck with her and she made the breakthrough in her next over, dismissing her fellow England Under-19 international lbw for 26.
The Sunrisers started to lose wickets, with Mady Villiers going for six and Alice Macleod three leaving them on 162 for six when Griffith departed lbw to Gordon for 65. The Sunrisers of old would have folded and The Blaze would have had a comfortable chase on their hands. Eva Gray is underrated with the bat, and along with Florence Miller, a quick runner between the wickets, they added 60 for the seventh wicket that would propel their side towards the 250 mark and give them every chance of walking away with the victory. They were bowled out for 245 in the last over, Kathryn Bryce finishing with figures of four for 41.
It was the sort of target that could prove tricky for a team knowing they needed the win, but nerves were soon settled for the home side as Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Bryce started the reply with a partnership of 76 from 80 balls. Sarah Bryce set the pace with a 45 ball 41 before being trapped lbw by Villiers.
Kathryn Bryce replaced her sister and added another 74 runs for the second wicket before Beaumont was adjudged lbw to Gray for 59. Marie Kelly and Prendergast were dismissed for four, and it fell on the shoulders of Kathryn Bryce. If she had been there at the end, then The Blaze would have been the happier of the two teams. Bryce is known for being able to judge a run chase and she did so again today calmly while others found it difficult to get going.
The Blaze needed 33 runs with ten overs remaining to secure the win. Bryce was now in the middle with Ella Claridge, who has been in decent form most of the season and proved valuable with an unbeaten 33 from 27 balls. The pair guided The Blaze home with 39 balls to spare.
The Blaze now sit three points behind Sunrisers in the table, with two games left to play and it could prove to be an exciting end to the season.
