Bears inflict first loss on Blaze, Essex cruise to win

With a 25-run victory over Edgbaston, the Bears won the Women’s T20 Blast, taking on the Blaze for the first time.

The hosts batted first before winning the toss, winning 172-6 with Sterre Kalis scoring the only goal with 54.

The Blaze then fell from 71-1 to 83-4, and with Em Arlott taking three wickets, Bears moved them up to second place in the table and managed only 148-8.

At Chester-le-Street, Essex cruised to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Durham.

Two top-notch teams met in the Birmingham game, both of whom had already won three of their previous games.

Bears chose to bat and got off to a good start with 59 for the opener with Meg Austin and Davina Perrin.

However, Kathryn Bryce’s superb 4-21 bat from Kathryn Bryce made the score the anchor innings for the Netherlands with 54 off 41 balls.

The Blaze’s second wicket was scored by Bryce and Tammy Beaumont by 49 runs in six overs, but the momentum changed when Bryce fell to Millie Taylor, especially when Beaumont went out for 44 in the following over.

Essex won their opening match of the series against Durham by falling to 17-4 inside four overs, with Kate Coppack and Esmae MacGregor taking the first two wickets, respectively, for the hosts.

Captain Hollie Armitage held the series together as she finished with a 47-run win, but Durham had only just passed three-figures for her lack of real support.

Essex immediately overcame the run-rate, scoring just five runs in the opening over, and never looked too much into trouble, even at 71-4.

And Essex, who are now in fifth place, completed the task with an unbeaten 34 led by Maddie Penna and Jodi Grewcock, ending a four-game losing streak.