Blaze heating up while Hampshire Hawks close gap

With the help of Hampshire, The Blaze overcame Lancashire to keep their position at the top of Surrey’s Women’s T20 Blast rankings and win the match.

Heather Graham of Australia made 3-36 saves for The Blaze at Leicester.

Ailsa Lister of Scotland put together the best 79 from 38 balls for Lancashire.

When England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt made her first domestic debut since 2023, the hosts were in trouble at 84-4 in the 12th over.

With 10 balls to go and five wickets in hand, Georgia Elwiss unbeaten 43 helped them get over the line.

In the six-over powerplay, Thunder was asked to bat first, but Lister found herself at midwicket on three and struggled to bat first.

With 15 balls to go, the fifth-wicket pair of Lister and Fi Morris almost doubled the lead before the latter hit Graham straight to the backward point. Thunder were 65-4 at the 12th over, but with 15 balls to go, the latter almost doubled the total.

Lister dropped again on 62 as Alana King, Kate Cross, and Tara Norris failed to score, and Graham eventually hit the Australian for six twice in her final ball, which was the team’s highest this season, with nine fours in her 79, which was also the highest total by the team this season.

At the halfway point, the Blaze looked content, needing 78 to win, but the Blaze lost Tammy Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce early in the reply. Sciver-Brunt hit four of her opening ten balls to the boundary.

Maia Bouchier and Charli Knott put on 80 before Chloe Skelton took a fine catch over her shoulder in mid-on to send Bouchier on her way to 43 from 26 balls with eight boundaries on a scorching day in Taunton.

Knott holed out to international team-mate Wellington at long-on for 43 from 34 balls in her final game before making a comeback to Australia.

Abi Norgrove was run out in the following over while Georgia Adams (10) and Rhianna Southby (35) each fell in a single delivery to Charlie Dean (3-25).

Kemp, who had eight fours and two sixes with a 38-ball rest, helped the visitors to 169-6.

Somerset, who were chasing their seventh match with a 19-2 deficit, fell to 19-2 after four overs, but Holland made a career-best 63 runs with Wellington and a 52-run stand with Sophie Luff (23).

Durham v Essex (14: 30 BST)