Marie Kelly, Sarah Bryce preserve Blaze’s fires burning in four-wicket win
The Blaze 260 for six (Kelly 61, S Bryce 52) beat Southern Vipers 259 for 7 (Adams 95*, de Klerk 3-48) by 4 wickets
Marie Kelly and Sarah Bryce’s fifties maintained The Blaze’s unbeaten begin to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and gained revenge on Southern Vipers for his or her Charlotte Edwards Cup last defeat.
Openers Kelly and Bryce – 61 and 52 – placed on 115 as The Blaze chased down 259 with 10 balls to spare.
Georgia Adams had narrowly missed out on her second Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy century with a high-quality unbeaten 95 on Vipers’ first voyage to the Isle of Wight.
The Blaze have now gained six and had two no-results to take a seat comfortably on the prime of the desk, whereas Vipers have now misplaced 4 of their eight matches to place their development in jeopardy.
Vipers had been caught in and made gradual progress on a pitch that by no means rewarded shot-making because of its tennis-ball bounce – one thing that will be mirrored in a scorecard filled with begins.
Kirstie Gordon’s introduction proved the catalyst to maneuver the sport ahead. Her first three overs went for 30, but additionally picked up Ella McCaughan lbw on the reverse sweep and Maia Bouchier hoicking a protracted hop to deep sq. after a tantalising 40.
She would additionally choose up in-form Emily Windsor prime edging to quick advantageous to ultimately find yourself with three for 54.
The Vipers boasted three partnerships within the fifties with the most recent seeing Adams start to seek out her ft on the crease with Georgia Elwiss.
Adams reached her second fifty of the marketing campaign with a languid straight drive in 73 balls and launched into trying to achieve three figures.
She was up towards Nadine de Klerk who was making her manner by means of her companions, Elwiss smashed one to cowl, Freya Kemp was bounced out three balls later and Linsey Smith steered to level. The South African returned three for 48. Kathryn Bryce additionally picked up Maitlan Brown.
But Adams was operating out of time. Despite sixes off Sophie Munro and Ballinger she wanted 14 off the ultimate over to achieve 100 however fell 5 runs quick.
Rain in the course of the interval quickened up the pitch and initially made batting productively barely simpler.
Kelly and Bryce actually performed that change to their benefit with an exquisite partnership that noticed runs move constantly forward of the required price – ensuring any extra heavy rain would not damage them on the picturesque Newclose Cricket Ground.
Kelly discovered gaps throughout the sector, whereas Bryce dominated sq. on both aspect of the wicket and really not often appeared on the V.
Bryce reached fifty first in 57 balls, Kelly adopted within the following ball in 63 deliveries – each their second half-centuries of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy season.
The 115 the pair put collectively was The Blaze’s highest opening earlier than Adams discovered Bryce’s exterior edge and Kelly holed out off promising younger off-spinner Ava Lee.
Kathryn Bryce continued the wobble by prime edging to sq. leg, however Georgie Boyce and Michaela Kirk mopped issues up with a 42-run stand.
But Boyce stored Vipers when she plinked to lengthy on with 47 nonetheless wanted, with Kirk bowled and Teresa Graves lbw in successive balls to Smith with 31 required.
Munro and de Klerk held their nerves underneath strain to avenge the loss at New Road final month and win by 4 wickets.