Hampshire Hawks (women) vs The Blaze (women)(match 54 – league one) – stand alone fixture at the Utilita Bowl Southampton (Hants) on Friday 18 July 2025 (at 18h30 played with floodlights)
Blaze openers each scored ‘fifty’ with Marie Kelly playing the dominant role. When partnered by Kathryn Bryce Georgia Elwiss added one short of another ‘fifty,’ and went on to carry her bat, closing with this contest’s fifth highest aggregate score. Best Hawks bowler was guest Australian Ellyse Perry, who took 2/21. In contrast, Blaze bowler Cassidy McCarthy bowled a rare ‘wicket maiden’ during Hawks’ ‘power-play,’ her next over conceding just three runs. With added scoreboard pressure, Hawks women batters Rhianna Southby together with skipper Adams banked a century partnership, both scoring ‘fifties:’ The ‘Friday finale’ reached its conclusion when Hawks women batters fell short, finding few gaps when ‘fours’ were needed having to rely on scoring with a ‘rhythm of singles.’ Commentators were Kevan ‘Kev’ James (BBC Sport, Radio Solent) with co-commentator Charlie Harden (BBC Sports Xtra 3, Radio Solent) and ‘first-time commentator’ Freya Watkinson (vice-captain/umpire at Portsmouth Ladies.)
Blaze women wearing orange with red splash over black; *skipper Kirstie Gordon *[Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Hawks]; *with international player Heather Graham (Australia); *without Tammy Beaumont Amy Jones & Nat Sciver-Brunt (England call-up); with Kathryn & Sarah Bryce (Scotland internationals), *Michaela Kirk (Blaze Academy & RSA dual national); *Power-play (6 overs) score 44/0 ; *Mid-way (10 overs) 87/0; *Scoring ‘fifty,’ Marie Kelly ‘reverse scooped’, caught at ’short-fine’ by Daisy Gibb, from Mary Taylor; *Kathryn Bryce went ‘leg-before’ to Georgia Adams; *Sarah Bryce was caught aerial ‘in-the-covers’ by Naomi Dattani, from Ellyse Perry; *Heather Graham was bowled for a ‘golden duck’ by fellow Australian Ellyse Perry; *Ella Claridge was stumped by keeper Rhianna Southby, from Freya Davies; Scoring ‘fifty,’ Georgia Elwiss carried her bat; Blaze women batting: Marie Kelly57(45), Georgia Elwiss53*not out(46), Kathryn Bryce37(21); Hawks women bowling: Ellyse Perry 2/21, Freya Davies 1/20, Mary Taylor 1/29, Georgia Adams 1/36;
Hawks women wearing full-backed and half-fronted striped yellow tops and yellow batting pads over navy blue; *skipper Georgia Adams *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for The Blaze]; *with international player Ellyse Perry (Australia), *without Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier & Linsey Smith (England call-ups),*also without Ella McCaughan, Nancy Harman or Ava Lee; *’Mis-timing a ‘reverse-scoop,’ Ellyse Perry was caught at ‘short-fine’ by Ella Claridge from Kathryn Bryce *Freya Kemp was caught behind by keeper Sarah Bryce, from Cassidy McCarthy; *Power-play (6 overs) score 24/2 (vs44/0);*Mid-way (10 overs) score 53/2 (vs 87/0); *Scoring ‘fifty’ Georgia Adams was caught aerial at ‘long-on’ by Marie Kelly, from Sarah Glenn; *Top-scorer Rhianna Southby was ‘run-out’ by Marie Kelly’s throw from ‘deep-backward-square’ to fellow keeper Sarah Bryce at the striker’s end; Hawks women batting: Rhianna Southby62(51), Georgia Adams57(50); Blaze women bowling: Cassidy McCarthy 1/15, Sarah Glenn 1/26, Kathryn Bryce 1/27;
Match result: The Blaze (women) 164/5 (@8.4 runs-per-over from 19.3/20 overs beat Hampshire Hawks (women) 137/4 (@6.8 runs-per-over, from 20/20 overs/target 165 from 20/20 ov.) by 27 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m339254ad-1aa6-4c5d-b969-c4ad8c68f5c1
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225343 & SKY Sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/hampshire-hawks-women-v-the-blaze/scorecard/53b14041-7572-563c-a5e9-d7cab25a0acb
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Hampshire Cricket/nv play via YouTube [03h01m30s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMsmw1bjjyM
*Edited Highlights courtesy of ECB/nv play via YouTube [09m43s] @url: https://www.ecb.co.uk/video/4317374/hampshire-hawks-women-vs-the-blaze-match-highlights
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/06/22/vitality-blast-league-one-fixtures-and-results-to-june-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/07/02/vitality-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2025-2/
Footnote: actual match photo
