An opening fixture in the Vitality Blast at Trent Bridge doesn’t always feel like it has much riding on it. There’s plenty of time to build momentum in T20 cricket, and it’s usually better to do so towards the back end of a competition. Howevewr, with Birmingham Bears and The Blaze both beaten semi-finalists in the Vitality T20 County Cup, there was an element of trying to shake off that disappointment.
With all three results possible from the final ball of the innings, it felt fitting that it ended in a tie, prolonging the sense for both teams that the T20 season hasn’t quite got going.
The Blaze are, technically, the current holders of this competition, albeit one that has been renamed and repackaged to fit the new county era. Ironically, neither side is playing under its county name in a tournament built around doing just that. Still, this was a battle to earn the ‘Pride of the Midlands’ tag.
With Issy Wong back from international duty and Katie George returning from injury, there was more depth to the Bears’ lineup. Despite the early wickets of Abbey Freeborn, run out by Maddy Green for eight, and Davina Perrin, caught by Georgia Elwiss off the bowling of Grace Ballinger, the Bears, with two of their three West Midlands-born players already dismissed, were 29 for two and in need of a partnership. One that could not only keep the scoring rate ticking, but set up a competitive total.
Wong was promoted to number three with licence to hit. She’s done it before for Central Sparks and remains a strong option in T20 cricket with the field up; nothing ventured, nothing gained. A brisk 16 followed, offering a hint of Birmingham’s tactical intent going forward: deeper batting and more front-foot aggression.
It laid the groundwork for a fifth-wicket partnership of 75 between Charis Pavely and George. Pavely, one of those players still straddling the line between potential and consistent performance, batted with a quality and patience that suggested that transition may be under way. She looked just as assured as George, who was her usual consistent best; not overly flashy, but doing the basics well.
The Blaze didn’t seem to have any real answers, and their fielding felt slightly off after the intensity shown against Lancashire on Monday when they defended a low total. Pavely passed her highest T20 score and looked on course for a maiden fifty when Kirstie Gordon bowled her for 46.
There was still time for Birmingham’s star overseas player Laura Harris to strike the third six of the innings, though she became Elwiss’ second victim of the day, out for six. George remained until the end, run out off the final ball for 37.
A total of 160 for eight felt a strong return for Bears Women, especially with bowling depth to fall back on. It would take a serious effort from The Blaze to chase it down.
That isn’t to say they couldn’t. The Blaze seem well set up to chase. With players like Elwiss and Kathryn Bryce, they have two experienced heads who know how to pace a run chase, almost doing it stealthily.
When the pair came together with the score on 15 for one inside the third over, others might have panicked, but with the run rate hovering above eight an over, they found the gaps. There were not as many boundaries as they would have liked, but smart running kept the target shrinking. They were putting The Blaze in a good position.
While the two batters scored without much fuss, the Bears got through their overs quickly. It was going to come down to which team held their nerve.
Elwiss and Kathryn Bryce brought up their hundred partnership in 72 balls, and The Blaze looked in control. Even at the eighteenth over, with 27 runs still to win and eight wickets in hand, it felt like one decent over would be enough. Elwiss had gone with five overs to go for a well-earned 52, bringing Sarah Bryce to the crease. She added urgency while her sister Kathryn continued steadily, finishing unbeaten on 60.
Nine runs were needed from the final over and up stepped Wong. Sarah Bryce, now with her eye in, carved her for four through point and gully, and five were needed from five. With two balls left and two runs required, Wong produced a slower ball that Sarah Bryce could only loop to Georgia Davis at mid-off.
Maddy Green ran hard for the equalising run, and with ball in hand, Sterre Kalis prevented The Blaze from coming back for the second and winning run.
The Blaze go again tomorrow against Lancashire at Old Trafford, still looking for redemption after defeat at Taunton on Monday. Birmingham are at home to Durham and will feel they can start to build on a day that could have been that much sweeter, but at least there is peace in the Midlands this evening.
