RHF Trophy 2024, BLZ vs CS 53. Match report, 06 September 2024

The Blaze face an anxious 24 hours to find out if their dream of a double in regional women’s cricket is still alive after suffering a five-wicket defeat to Central Sparks in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in Chesterfield.

That leaves the Charlotte Edwards Cup winners fourth in the table and one hand on the semi-finals, but just a point ahead of the fifth-placed Sunrisers, who finish their 14-game league schedule on Saturday. Sunrisers travel to the Southern Vipers, who are defending champions but have lost their last three games.

On a track that allowed few runs, the Blaze were restricted to 166 after being forced to bat first. Michaela Kirk top scored with 36, which was her season’s best, helped by Kathryn Bryce’s 33, sharing a 63-run partnership for the second wicket.

The Blaze, who were missing Irish all-rounder Orla Prendergast due to the white-ball series against England, which also saw the Sparks without their leading wicket-taker Hannah Baker, quickly lost Sarah Bryce, caught at point in Potts’ first over, but recovered to 68 for 1 in the 13th over.

Alongside Kirk, newcomer Bryce scored 63 in 11.1 overs, but a double reverse meant she and new batswoman Marie Kelly were dismissed within five balls of each other, both bowled. Left-handed spinner Pavely, who will join England for the T20s against Ireland, dismissed Bryce and seamer Arlott dismissed Kelly without scoring. Bryce hit five boundaries, as did Kirk, but the latter was leg-before when Potts returned in the 20th over.

Teresa Graves lifted Hardwick for a boundary but was bowled soon after as the 20-year-old seamer celebrated her maiden List A wicket in her second appearance for the Sparks and immediately followed that up by bowling Lucy Higham first ball.

After 103 for 6 at half-time, the Blaze – last year’s runners-up – struggled to get going and managed just two more boundaries after that. Ella Claridge (19) and captain Kirstie Gordon (22) made a laborious 37 for the seventh wicket in 11 overs before offspinner Ria Fackrell converted a ball to bowl the former and Gordon then drove on to Arlott.

Grace Ballinger and Josie Groves added another 20 for the ninth wicket before Groves and Cassidy McCarthy gave way in search of boundaries.

Needing 3.34 runs per over, Sparks opener Ami Campbell hit three boundaries in Bryce’s first over and two more in her second, but was almost immediately caught at cover position when offspinner Higham took over.

After scoring 28 without loss in five overs, Sparks were 43 for 3 in the tenth innings after left-handed seamer Ballinger bowled Davina Perrin and left-handed spinner Gordon trapped Meg Austin in front for her 18th wicket of the season.

Gordon and Bryce restricted Sparks to just 14 in the next five overs, but after Abbey Freeborn followed on and was bowled by Bryce, George and Chloe Brewer upped the tempo. The visitors were 110 for four after 25 overs and needed another 57.

Brewer was leg-before to Gordon for 22 after the pair had added 55. The Blaze bowlers conceded few easy runs – Bryce ended her 10 overs with two consecutive maidens – but with just over two per over needed, George and Pavely had no need to take any risks and their unbroken 53-run stand finished the task with 52 balls to spare, George completing her half-century and then winning the match with two consecutive boundaries.

The result meant the Birmingham team capped off their final appearance as the Central Sparks with a win. The Trent Bridge-based Blaze will retain their current identity but with domestic women’s cricket undergoing another revamp next season, the Sparks will play as Warwickshire in 50-over cricket and as the Birmingham Bears in T20.