Glenn, McCarthy and Gordon have a ball as Blaze book finals spot

SARAH Glenn and Cassidy McCarthy stifled Essex's batting as The Blaze successfully defended 139 at Chelmsford to seal their place at Women's Vitality Blast Finals Day.

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England leg-spinner Glenn finished with figures of three for 17, following seamer McCarthy's one for eight from three overs up top and skipper Kirstie Gordon weighed in with four for 22, including two wickets in as many balls.

Those efforts all helped to ensure Essex were restricted to just 104 for nine in reply - and the home side's defeat leaves them only a remote mathematical chance of joining The Blaze in the last four.

Earlier, Heather Graham top-scored with 33 from 23 as the visitors were bowled out two deliveries short of their full allocation, with Essex seamer Eva Gray recording a season's best of four for 18.