The Blaze 212-153 Central Sparks (Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy) 22.04.23
*The Blaze won by 59 runs
There’s a new team in Notts… The Cricketing franchise that was Loughborough Lightning has all changed for the 2023 season and The Blaze have been created to participate in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy as the East Midlands newest 50 over representative.
They kicked off their campaign yesterday in front of a sparse crowd at Trent Bridge against Central Sparks, a team playing mostly out of Edgbaston and covering the West Midlands region, a derby of sorts, East v West although from the names you wouldn’t necessarily know it…
An early wicket did little to faze England International Tammy Beaumont who despite losing her opening partner Marie Kelly for a duck, the former Wisden Cricketer of the Year and England World Cup winner went to work, backed briefly by an impressive looking Georgie Boyce (28) to score 60 from 77 balls and help the Blaze past the hundred despite also losing both Kathryn and Sarah Bryce along the way.
After some difficult moments which peaked from being five down for 131 when Beaumont finally went for LBW, eventually, some resilience by Sarah Glenn (who scored 38) and a 24 from 39 balls by number nine Lucy Higham, had the Blaze crawling eventually to 212, bowled all out inside 47 overs, after a fast start they were reduced to a score which was said inside the press box during the break, to be slightly under par, 230 the amount which was targeted, but a tricky number to set the Sparks on a slow pitch with boundaries stretched out wide as their opponents began chase.
Dressed in burnt orange jerseys the Blaze came out for the Sparks innings in sunshine with a point to prove, but Issy Wong and Eve Jones were in no mood to hang around, they began smashing the ball around the park and were soon in their thirties before Wong (22) pulled Glenn to Higham at mid-wicket.
Chloe Brewer lasted three balls for a duck as Katherine Bryce had her trapped lbw before Jones on 29 got it all wrong against Lucy Higham who caught spectacularly from her own bowling, diving down past her left shoulder to take a huge scalp which started the opposition downfall.
Freeborn (15 from 46 balls) and Campbell (15 from 26) were next as Higham got to work, Emily Arlott was a fourth scalp of the innings for the 25-year-old who spun it brilliantly, set to a superbly organised field by captain Kirstie Gordon, there seemed just no way to score as the Sparks stuttered to 100 in 30 overs.
Skipper Gordon got her wicket as Perrin went for five before Higham bowled Davis for a fifth wicket of the game, ending with fabulous figures of 5/19. My woman of the match ahead of Tammy Beaumont who was sumptuous with the bat.
It was left to Nadine de Klerk to get the job done, the South African star bowler knocking over the last two wickets with under two overs remaining to ensure a 59 run debut win for the newest team in town.
Next up for the Blaze a trip south to the Sunrisers on Saturday where they’ll play matchday two in Chelsmford before hosting North West representatives ‘Thunder’ at Welbeck on May Day Bank Holiday Monday.
*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).
*Main image @TheBlazeCricket Lucy Higham takes her catch but with the ball she took 5/19.
