The Blaze, 252/9, defeated Warwickshire, 211 all out, by 41 runs.
The Blaze completed back-to-back road wins by defeating Midlands rivals Warwickshire by 41 runs in the Metro Bank Women’s One-Day Cup Women’s competition at Edgbaston.
In a game that required resilience, determination and fighting spirit, The Blaze delivered in spades. Despite an early setback in the batting innings, the middle and lower order refused to crumble. With the ball, a fabulous opening spell from seamers Charley Phillips and Grace Ballinger set the tone, before Kathryn Bryce stole the show with a fabulous five wicket haul.
Put in, The Blaze lost two wickets in the first over, but recovered superbly to post 252/9, batting the full fifty overs. Sarah Bryce anchored the innings with 52, but was ably supported by many of her teammates, with five other contributions over 20.
After choosing to bowl, Warwickshire took two huge wickets in the first four balls. Amy Jones and Kathryn Bryce both departed first ball - Jones was trapped lbw by Issy Wong before Bryce was run out after a mix-up with partner Tammy Beaumont.
Beaumont and Sarah Bryce went about rebuilding the innings, and did it superbly. Despite the loss of wickets, the pair dealt in boundaries, with Bryce in particular going on the offensive, striking three successive fours off bowler Emily Arlott.
Arlott was able to respond, and removed Beaumont (38) via a fine catch from keeper Abbey Freeborn - but not before the pair had added 74 runs off just 75 balls. Notably, Beaumont also passed 5,000 List A runs during her innings - a tremendous achievement that speaks to her class and consistency as a player.
Warwickshire captain Georgia Davis then struck twice in five balls, as Freeborn accepted nicks from Georgia Elwiss and Bryce - who departed after making an excellent half century that brought The Blaze right back into the game at 5/106.
Orla Prendergast and Ella Claridge were next to form an important partnership, adding 58 runs before Prendergast (34) was caught at mid-wicket. Claridge found another effective partner in Josie Groves, who made 26 before holing out to the bowling of Emily Arlott, who then ran Claridge out for a well made 38.
The spirited team effort continued, as final pair Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips added a crucial 32 runs, defying the Warwickshire bowling attack and batting through the full fifty overs to post 252/9.
Fresh off their late innings batting heroics, Phillips and Ballinger delivered a superb spell with the new ball, restricting Warwickshire to just 28 runs through the first ten overs.
Openers Sterre Kalis and Abbey Freeborn began to work their way into the innings, but Prendergast made the key breakthrough - removing Kalis (27) via a sharp catch at mid-wicket.
Freeborn was joined by Davina Perrin, who took the game on, adding 75 for the next wicket. At 123/1, Warwickshire were gaining control of the game, and when The Blaze needed someone to step up, Kathryn Bryce delivered. The seamer struck in successive overs, removing Freeborn (40) caight and bowled, and trapping Perrin (53) lbw.
Grace Ballinger was next to join the party, repeating the trick of striking in consecutive overs. She removed Katie George and Emily Arlott, both via excellent catches to Prendergast and Kathryn Bryce.
Just as The Blaze began to gain momentum, Warwickshire brought the game back to an even keel yet again through Nat Wraith and Charis Pavely. Charley Phillips chose the opportune time to take her first professional wicket, removing Wraith for 34, before Bryce struck again, snaring new bat Issy Wong for 2.
With Pavely still in and Warwickshire needing 47 from the final ten overs, the home side were still well and truly in the hunt, but Bryce was having none of it. She removed Pavely (25) via a stumping from her sister, before clean-bowling Hannah Baker to seal victory, claiming figures of 5-38 in the process.
Bryce's brilliance put the icing on the cake of a superb team performance, and ensured The Blaze returned to Trent Bridge with two excellent road victories.