The Blaze 137 for 3 (Okay Bryce 54*) beat Western Storm 134 for 76 (Corney 23, Okay Bryce 2-17, Ballinger 2-24) by seven wickets

Chasing 135 to win, The Blaze achieved their goal with eight balls to spare because of an innings of 54 not out from 35 balls by Bryce, who shared in stands of 66 and 41 with Georgie Boyce and Marie Kelly for the third and fourth wickets respectively.

Having already certified for Saturday's closing at New Road, Worcester, group winners Blaze ensured they completed with a one hundred pc successful document, extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 matches in 2023. A crew in transition, Storm gained three of their seven fixtures to assert fifth place.

Even with out star gamers Kirstie Gordon, Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sarah Glenn, who have been concerned in England's two-day coaching match forward of the ladies's Ashes, Blaze proved too sturdy for a Storm aspect that have been lacking Heather Knight, Dani Gibson and Lauren Filer.

Ballinger made a breakthrough within the first over, bowling Nat Wraith for 4 along with her second supply from the River End, after which she and Nadine de Klerk despatched down 10 consecutive dot balls to use fast stress.

Orla Prendergast had registered an outstanding hundred on debut in her final look at Sophia Gardens in April, however managed simply 19 from 14 balls on this event as Storm slipped to 35 for two within the fifth over. The Ireland worldwide plundered three consecutive fours on the expense of Ballinger, who then exacted a swift revenge by pinning Prendergast lbw subsequent ball.

Although the powerplay yielded 44 runs, Storm continued to lose wickets and Niamh Holland, promoted to open the batting within the absence of Gibson, was run out by de Klerk, having contributed a 23-ball 21. Fran Wilson went within the very subsequent over with the rating on 49, driving at a size ball from Sophie Munro and discovering Kathryn Bryce at further cowl.

Charged with the duty of rebuilding, Luff and Corney performed spinners Josie Groves and Lucy Higham nicely, combining deft placement and fast working between the wickets to maintain the scoreboard ticking over in the course of the center overs.

Corney loved a big slice of fine fortune when, having scored seven, she was dropped by Beth Harmer at mid-on off the bowling of Groves with the rating on 76. But there was no let-off when Luff stepped in entrance of a straight ball from Kathryn Bryce and was adjudged lbw within the fifteenth over. Storm's influential captain had raised 19 from 18 balls and helped add 42 runs in 6.5 overs for the fifth wicket, however her dismissal represented a physique blow to the house aspect, who have been 91 for five within the fifteenth over.

Previously deployed within the function of chief assist, Corney now picked up the cudgels, driving fluently to register her highest rating within the competitors, advancing to 23 from 32 balls earlier than being bowled by the returning Kathryn Bryce as Blaze sought to reimpose their earlier dominance. Sophia Smale was bowled by de Klerk for 10 within the penultimate over, however Griffiths was capable of rating an unbeaten 19 at a run-a-ball to haul Storm to respectability.

Prepared to take a danger at each alternative, Sarah Bryce and Beth Harmer rode their luck to offer the Blaze reply with early momentum, the opening pair including 28 in 4.2 overs. But Harmer then scooped off spinner Claire Nicholas to brief high-quality leg and departed for 12 and Smale had Bryce held at mid-off for 15 within the subsequent over to scale back the guests to 30 for two.

Unperturbed by that double setback, Kathryn Bryce and Boyce initially went about their enterprise in workmanlike trend, discovering the gaps and working onerous to maintain the speed down. When Bryce hoisted Smale over mid-wicket for the primary six of the match after which drove her subsequent ball by way of the covers for 4, Blaze have been 69 for two on the midway level of their innings, requiring an extra 66 at 6.6 an over with loads of wickets in hand.

Becoming ever-more expansive, Bryce then helped herself to 3 boundaries within the twelfth over, despatched down by Prendergast, at which level the speed was beneath a run a ball for the primary time. Nicholas returned to have Boyce caught at mid-off for a 27-ball 26 within the 14th over, within the course of terminating a productive stand that had yielded 66 runs in 8.1 overs and giving Storm renewed hope.

But skipper Kelly slammed the door shut on West Country ambition, seizing the initiative in a forthright knock of 20 in 18 balls, which put the end result past doubt earlier than Bryce raised her 50 from 31 balls along with her sixth 4 within the 18th over.