The Blaze 120 for 7 (Beaumont 38, Ecclestone 2-18) beat Thunder 117 for six (Heap 26, Ballinger 2-23) by three wickets

Beaumont was one in all six Ashes contenders that includes in a low-scoring affair performed after Lancashire males had overwhelmed Leicestershire within the Vitality Blast, with star duo Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone going face to face.

Both impressed as Thunder made 117 for six and did not defend it. Ecclestone returned 2 for 18 from 4 overs of left-arm spin, whereas Sciver-Brunt's seamers accounted for 1 for 23 from 4 earlier than including 21 off 14 balls within the chase.

But Beaumont usurped them each, hanging the ball higher than anybody with eight fours and a flicked six to make sure the Blaze continued their unbeaten begin to the summer season.

The Blaze survived a late wobble from 88 for two to 98 for six to win inside 16 overs and have now received 5 of seven matches throughout the Charlotte Edwards Cup and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy of their first season primarily based at Trent Bridge, together with two from two on this T20 competitors.

The East Midlands aspect have been rebranded from Lightning after three seasons primarily based at Loughborough University.

For Thunder, their disappointing begin to 2023 continues. They are winless in seven video games throughout the 2 competitions, together with a pair of T20 defeats.

Beaumont, Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Sarah Glenn, Emma Lamb and Sciver-Brunt have been the England gamers on present.

Thunder failed to achieve any vital momentum by means of an innings strangled by an on-point five-strong bowling assault. Left-arm seamer Grace Ballinger took the brand new ball and stood out with 2 for 23 from her 4 overs, whereas Sciver-Brunt, captain and spinner Kirstie Gordon, legspinner Glenn and South Africa seamer Nadine de Klerk all struck as soon as.

Opener Libby Heap top-scored with 26 for Thunder, whereas captain Ellie Threlkeld and Cross each made 22.

Lancashire had promoted the day as Empower Play, with £1 from every of the three,101 tickets offered throughout the day donated to girls's and ladies' participation initiatives along side the Lancashire Cricket Foundation.

Thunder have been in hassle early when England opener Lamb chipped Gordon's left-arm spin to mid-off to fall for two 4 balls into the match earlier than Ballinger bowled big-hitting West Indian Deandra Dottin for 9 because the rating fell to 14 for two within the fourth over.

Heap, Threlkeld, Fi Morris with 18 and Cross have been all busy in making an attempt to advance Thunder's trigger, however they slipped from 82 for 3 within the fifteenth over to 89 for six within the 18th to undermine hope of a difficult whole.

Morris was bowled by Glenn, Heap was nicely caught at quick third by ex-Thunder batter Georgie Boyce off Sciver-Brunt and Ecclestone was caught at quick fine-leg for less than three off Ballinger.

In the primary over of the chase, Beaumont made her intentions clear by sweeping and lofting worldwide colleague Ecclestone for back-to-back boundaries. Her flicked six over midwicket got here off the seam of Tara Norris, whereas she hit three boundaries in the identical space in dominating a 56-run opening stand with Marie Kelly.

The latter was bowled sweeping at Ecclestone for 16 within the sixth over earlier than Beaumont was lbw sweeping on the offspin of Morris an over later - leaving the Blaze 56 for two.

Sciver-Brunt, in at No. 3, then clubbed and carved three fours in as many balls off UAE worldwide quick bowler Mahika Gaur to take care of Blaze's dominance.

Cross had Boyce (15) caught at level because the rating fell to 88 for 3 within the tenth over, sparking a mini collapse to 98 for six after 12 which solely delayed the inevitable. Sciver-Brunt miscued Norris to quick midwicket earlier than Ecclestone bowled de Klerk as a part of that. Glenn later hit the profitable runs and completed 17 not out.