The Blaze (women) vs Durham Cricket (women) (match 19, league one – ‘double-header’ fixture) at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 31 May 2026
For the first time in the competition, The Blaze women were ‘toppled’ by Durham Cricket women – who took all their wickets – with all DC bowlers taking at least one wicket each. Summarising the match, commentators believed that The Blaze ‘started well,’ with 40 runs coming from their first 26 deliveries; but ‘lost their way’ beyond mid-way. Best bowler was Mady Villiers – pictured wearing ‘England A’ who took a 3-fer (taking 3 wickets/conceding 21 runs.) Durham Cricket women replied with skipper Hollie Armitage [50*not out (from 47 balls)] scoring ‘fifty’ and ‘carried her bat.’ Skipper’s first-wicket partnership with Mady Villiers 47(34) banked 83 runs; later adding 43 partnered by Bess Heath 36(18) for DC’s third wicket. Finally, during what was amusingly described by commentators as ‘straw-clutching phase,’ guest Australian Heather Graham [15*not out(12)] partnered her skipper when scoring the winning ‘four.’ That chalked-up Durham Cricket women’s third win (to date.) Commentators for The Blaze TV Livestream were Dave Bracegirdle (BBC Sports Xtra3 & Radio Nottingham) with guest Marcus North (visiting as DC’s ‘Director of Cricket.’) Weather: cloudy with patches of blue sky 16C.
The Blaze women wearing orange with over black with half-white vertical trouser stripe and black pads;*Stand-in skipper Marie Kelly *[Mia Rogers keeping wicket for DC]; *debutantes Prisha Thanawala (t20) and Marie Andrews (Blaze academy); *with international player Charli Knott (Australia WBBL) *without Kirstie Gordon, Kathryn & Sarah Bryce (Scotland IT20 World-Cup call-up); *also without Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones or Sarah Glenn (England IT20 World-Cup call-up); *Mis-timing ‘sweep’ Tammy Beaumont was bowled by Katie Levick; *Marie Kelly was caught at ‘short-third’ by Emily Windsor from Trudy Johnson; *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 56/2; *Charli Knott was caught at ‘mid-on’ by Abi Glen, from Trudy Johnson; *by ‘mid-way 91/3 (after 10 overs); *Mis-timing a ‘sweep,’ Ella Claridge was bowled with her ‘leg-stump’ flattened by Abi Glen; *Mis-timing reverse-sweep, Georgia Elwiss was caught at ‘gully’ by Trudy Johnson, from Mady Villiers; *Emma Jones was bowled by Heather Graham; *Two balls later Prisha Thanawala was caught aerial inside-the-circle at ‘point’ by Bess Heath, from Heather Graham; *Lucy Higham, was caught low-down at ‘mid-on’ by Grace Thompson, from Sophia Turner; *Georgie Boyce was stumped by keeper Mia Rogers, from Mady Villiers; *Left-handed batter Grace Ballinger was caught aerial at ‘long-off’ by Emily Windsor, from Mady Villiers; The Blaze women batting: Georgia Elwiss 31(24); Marie Kelly 28(15); Emma Jones 24(13); Charli Knott 14(12); Tammy Beaumont 12(9); Georgia Boyce 12(10); Ella Claridge 10(18); Durham Cricket women bowling: Mady Villiers 3/21(3.5); Heather Graham 2/30(4); Trudy Johnson 2/35(3); Katie Levick 1/21(4); Abi Glen 1/21(2); Sophia Turner 1/24(3);
Durham Cricket women wearing yellow splash over dark blue with white numbers and dark blue caps with yellow pads; *Skipper Hollie Armitage *[Ella Claridge keeping wicket for Blaze); *With Katherine Fraser(Scottish International); international player Heather Graham (Australia Womens Big-Bash League WBBL); *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 52/0 (vs56/2); *by ‘mid-way (after 10 overs) 82/0 (vs91/3); *Mady Villiers was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Tammy Beaumont, from Emma Jones; *Without foot movement, Emily Windsor was bowled by Emma Jones for a fourth-ball ‘duck;’ *Mis-timing without foot movement, Bess Heath was caught at ‘long-on’ by Marie Kelly, from Charli Knott; Durham Cricket women batting: Hollie Armitage 50*not out(47); Mady Villiers 47(34); Bess Heath36(18); Heather Graham 15*not out(12); The Blaze women bowling: Emma Jones 1/21(3); Charli Knott 1/32(4);
*Match result: Durham Cricket (Women) 156/3 (@8 runs-per-over target 154 from 19.1/20 overs) beat The Blaze (Women) 153 ‘All out’ (@7.7 r-p-o from 19.5 from 20ov.) by seven wickets with five balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#c9cd38578-5761-4c81-a024-f69ca8c04caa_me5e80000-9b94-4272-a885-08de2c26e128
*Upcoming League one ‘Vitality Blast’ (20ov.) fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/12/17/vitality-blast-league-one-fixtures-for-2026-3-of-4/
*Upcoming League one ‘MetroBank’ (50ov.) fixtures with mid-term results @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/05/17/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-one-women/
