Essex vs (women) vs The Blaze (women) – match 13 – League One – at Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford on Saturday 25 April 2026
Both sides were equally keen to win, following their previous defeats. Earlier, Orla Prendergast – pictured was one of four Blaze bowlers who took two wickets each. Separately, Essex women’s keeper Amara Carr was the only Essex batter to score ‘fifty,’ – her second highest competition score nudging Essex beyond 200. A tense match followed as the much-talked-about England trio (reportedly playing their first fifty-overs match this season) mustered only 8 runs from their collective total of 14 deliveries. That prompted commentators to perceive a ‘perilous’ position’ for the visitors on 104/6 with up to thirty overs remaining. Match advantage gradually swung back to The Blaze’s favour through skipper Kirstie Gordon’s [47*not out (from 62 balls) undefeated eighth-wicket partnership with Orla Prendergast [69*not out (77)]: who became top-scorer with 3 ’sixes’ & 5 ‘fours.’ Having reduced their runs deficit without further wicket-loss, Kirstie Gordon scored two ‘fours’ needed to chalk-up The Blaze’s ‘tense win.’ Resident home-team commentators for Essex Live Stream were Guy Swindells with Danni Warren (Performance & Growth Director, Essex Women’s Cricket.) Weather was described as ‘glorious’ for cricket: sunny and cloudless, around 17C.
Essex (women) wearing mauve tops and blue batting pads; skipper Grace Scrivens; [Amy Jones keeping wicket for Blaze]; *Grace Scrivens, was trapped ‘leg-before’ by seamer Grace Ballinger’s left-armed in-swing; *Lissy MacLeod found a ‘leading-edge,’ that flicked aerial, caught-and-bowled Grace Ballinger; *Score 21/2 after 10 overs power-play; *Cordelia Griffith was caught ‘in-the-deep’ by Orla Prendergast from Georgia Elwiss; *Mid-way for drinks 96/3; *Short of her third competition ‘fifty,’ (from four innings – i.e.: not ’successive’ as mis-reported elsewhere) Jodi Grewcock ‘chipped’ back down-the-wicket, caught-and-bowled low-down by Kirstie Gordon rolling backwards; *Cursed by commentators as being ‘very handy’ in the middle-order, Jo Gardner went ‘leg-before’ to Orla Prendergast, from a ‘pitched-up’ ball that ‘kept low;’ *Promoted up-the-batting-order, Sophia Smale was bowled by Orla Prendergast; *Flo Miller was bowled ‘top-of-middle-and-off’ with both bails sent flying by Lucy Higham; *Sophie Munro was caught behind by keeper Amy Jones from Lucy Higham; *Kate Coppack was bowled by Kathryn Bryce; *Finally, top-scorer Amara Carr who scored ‘fifty’ was also bowled by Kathryn Bryce; Essex women batting: Amara Carr 50(45); Jodi Grewcock 44(71); Sophia Smale 34(38); Cordelia Griffith 26(51); Sophie Munro 15(12); Jo Gardner 13(21); Blaze women bowling: Seven bowlers used, six of whom took wickets: Kathryn Bryce 2/22(7.2); Orla Prendergast 2/26(7); Grace Ballinger 2/27(8); Lucy Higham 2/33(8); Georgia Elwiss 1/22(4); Kirstie Gordon 1/34(9);
The Blaze women wearing orange-and-black ‘paper tiger’ stripes with black joggers; *skipper Kirstie Gordon *[Amara Carr keeping wicket for Essex]; *guest international Orla Prendergast (Rep Of Ireland); also with Kathryn Bryce (Scotland) *Tammy Beaumont was caught ‘athletically’ by Amara Carr from Kate Coppack; *Next over, Kathryn Bryce was bowled with stumps splayed by Sophie Munro; *Next ball, Nat Sciver-Brunt went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Sophie Munro – expectant for a ‘hat-trick’ when starting her next ‘over;’ *Amy Jones was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Cordelia Griffith, from Kate Coppack; *Score 51/4 (vs 21/2) after 10 overs power-play; *Marie Kelly was ‘run-out’ from ‘mid-on’ by Sophie Munro’s direct-hit to the non-striker’s end; *Georgia Elwiss staged a cameo until bowled by Sophia Smale; *Emma Jones was bowled by Jodi Grewcock; *Mid-way for drinks, 128/7 (vs 96/3) after 25 overs; *No further wickets fell; *Kirstie Gordon scored two winning ‘fours;’ Blaze women batting: Orla Prendergast 69*not out (77); Kirstie Gordon 47*not out(62); Marie Kelly 37(40); Georgia Elwiss 30(34); Essex women bowling: Sophie Munro 2/28(9); Kate Coppack 2/39(7); Jodi Grewcock 1/52(9.3); Sophia Smale 1/51(8);
Match result: The Blaze (women) 215/7 (@5.4 runs-per-over from 39.3/50 overs) beat Essex (women) 213 ‘All out’ (@4.3 r-p-o from 49.2/50 ov) by three wickets; with 63 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mc5520000-6664-a623-5cca-08de2dc248a3
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url: https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4408104/metro-bank-one-day-cup-womens-competition-fixtures-2026
