Blaze are too hot for Bears Women to handle

A RAIN-HIT 50-over match on a club ground might bear little resemblance to a T20 at The Kia Oval but The Blaze will draw some confidence from a 47-run victory over Warwickshire Women in the Metro Bank One Day Cup as a dress rehearsal of sorts for Sunday's Vitality Blast semifinal.

- By JON CULLEY

After Marie Kelly's List A career-best 66 and opening partner Georgia Boyce's 46 had laid the foundations for a total of 218 for six after opting to bat first in a match reduced to 39 overs-a-side, The Blaze dismissed Warwickshire for 171, despite a determined effort by Abbey Freeborn (56 off 73 balls) and Nat Wraith (75 off 71) to give the visitors a chance after being reduced to 13 for four.

Kathryn Bryce (3-17), Georgia Elwiss (3-26) and Grace Ballinger (3-26) shared the bowling honours for The Blaze, for whom Sarah Bryce had made an unbeaten 32, with two wickets each for Warwickshire's Georgia Davis and Amu Surenkumar.

Winning the toss and electing to bat at the Lindum Sports Club Ground in Lincoln, The Blaze established a strong foundation as Kelly and Boyce shared an opening stand of 106, Kelly hitting eight fours and a six.