The Blaze emerged victorious in the Charlotte Edwards Cup final, defeating South East Stars by a commanding seven wickets. Kathryn Bryce, the Scotland skipper, led the charge with a match-winning 62 off 44 balls, while her younger sister Sarah contributed an unbeaten 52 from 46 balls.
The Blaze's triumph marked a significant achievement for the team, which had suffered heartbreak in both women's regional competitions last season. Captain Kirstie Gordon's strong leadership played a crucial role in their success, as they avoided a repeat of their defeat to Southern Vipers in the previous year's finals.
Despite conceding 22 runs in the first over, The Blaze bowlers displayed discipline and skill to restrict Stars to 141 for 9. Australian allrounder Heather Graham claimed 3 for 16, while legspinner Josie Groves took 3 for 33. Georgia Redmayne top-scored for Stars with 25, but their total proved insufficient on a deteriorating surface.
The Blaze's chase began steadily, with Kathryn Bryce and Tammy Beaumont forming a solid opening partnership. However, Beaumont was run out in a moment of brilliance by bowler Tash Farrant. Marie Kelly's dismissal left the score at 49 for 2 after six overs.
Undeterred, Kathryn and Sarah Bryce forged a decisive partnership of 79 runs. Kathryn reached her fifth half-century of the competition in just 31 balls, while Sarah completed her own half-century off 45 balls. Kathryn's dismissal brought Graham to the crease, who sealed the victory with a boundary over mid-off.
Kathryn Bryce's outstanding performance earned her the distinction of being the competition's leading runscorer, with an impressive tally of 477 runs. The Blaze skipper, Tash Farrant, also emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps.
Tags: #CharlotteEdwardsCup, #TheBlaze, #SouthEastStars, #KathrynBryce, #SarahBryce
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