In the final and most exciting game from the Women’s T20 Blast, The Blaze were victorious against Surrey. They revamped 170 runs to give Surrey their first defeat of the season with a 20-run victory. That final match at The Riverside Ground was an extraordinary display by each team. It was The Blaze’s ridiculously deep and talented lineup of bashers that took center stage.
After winning the toss, The Blaze chose to bat first and immediately put together a strong start. Marie Kelly and Georgia Elwiss provided fireworks, as the opening pair quickly laid the foundations. For her part, Kelly wowed the crowd in her trademark fierce style. She managed to score five fours and two sixes before falling prey to the fiery Surrey bowling attack. The fire started here, when Elwiss picked up the baton and scored a beautifully crafted 61 to take The Blaze to a decent score of 169 for 9.
From the outset, Surrey were fighting against the tide as they started their chase. The Blaze’s bowlers made early inroads, bowling with good pace and accuracy, immediately applying pressure and taking key wickets at important times. Danni Wyatt-Hodge proved a big threat for Surrey, making 60 runs as she tried to take her team to a surprise chase. Her removal did most to stop Surrey’s progress toward a fifth straight victory.
The Blaze’s bowlers, specifically Kirstie Gordon, were key to their final win. With such low runs to chase, Gordon’s record attack of 3 for 35 laid waste to the Surrey batting line-up. At the other end, Meg Austin and Davina Perrin gave a good account of themselves, sharing an opening stand of 62 in only six overs. Perrin went on to score 49 runs off just 31 balls—which helped seal The Blaze’s second Super League championship.
Mady Villiers continued to be a star for Durham, showing just how talented she truly is. In reply, she scored an impactful match-winning unbeaten 85 runs, including 11 fours and one six. Though she stayed resilient in her performance, point after point piled on the pressure for Durham who went on to endure their fourth loss in five games.
Nat Wraith was central to Surrey’s victory, making 56 off 56 balls, including seven fours. As wickets tumbled at key moments, their chase stumbled short at 149 all out.
“I don’t think we should go away from how well Mady [Villiers] played first half – it was a great innings and if you’re doing things like that, you shouldn’t be losing games of cricket.”
Nat Wraith also played a pivotal role for Surrey, scoring 56 runs with seven boundaries. However, as wickets fell at crucial moments, their chase faltered at 149 all out.
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