Blaze 245 (Kelly 54, Harvey 3-32, Cleary 3-43) beat Western Storm 239 for 7 (Griffiths 67) by six runs
Marie Kelly led by instance as top-of-the-table Blaze beat Western Storm by 5 runs at Bristol’s Seat Distinctive Stadium to increase their unbeaten run to 6 matches within the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
She made up for shedding the toss by top-scoring with 54, whereas Michaela Kirk contributed 40 and Sophie Munro and Teresa Graves posted 41 apiece in including 74 for the seventh wicket as Blaze recovered from 149 for six within the thirty third over to boost 245.
Nicole Harvey took 3 for 32 within the center overs and new signing Piepa Cleary returned figures of three for 42 on her debut to maintain Storm within the hunt. However the inspirational Kelly then ran out opener Emma Corney and claimed the important thing wicket of Sophie Luff to dent Storm’s run chase.Alex Griffiths posted an excellent 67 and Fran Wilson weighed in with 43, however Blaze bowled and fielded with spectacular self-discipline to limit Storm to 240 for 7 and return to profitable methods following defeat to Southern Vipers in final month’s Charlotte Edwards Cup ultimate.
With out England bowlers Lauren Filer and Dani Gibson, who have been away on Ashes responsibility, Storm put their belief in a beforehand untested new ball pairing of Academy product Mollie Robbins and Cleary, the Western Australia proper armer signed simply 48 hours earlier to bolster a depleted seam assault.
Though wayward and a contact costly, the inexperienced Robbins engineered an early breakthrough, Sarah Bryce driving loosely to level with the rating on 17, whereas Cleary, in her first aggressive outing since February, shed any preliminary ring rust to have Georgie Boyce held at foolish mid-off in a new-ball burst of 1 for 17 from 5 overs.
Unperturbed by occasions on the different finish, Blaze skipper Kelly set her stall out to bat via, going quietly in regards to the enterprise of accumulating runs, whereas the extra aggressive Kathryn Bryce cashed in each time she was afforded width, plundering three boundaries to provide the innings impetus and assist advance the rating to 73 for two on the finish of the powerplay.
Having placed on 41 for the third wicket along with her captain, Bryce was caught on the wicket for 20 within the act of reducing Chloe Skelton’s…
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