Warwickshire (Bears) (women) vs The Blaze (women) – match 55 – League One – at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham on Wednesday 26 August 2026
Midlands derby won by the Blaze, competing as top-team for triple cups, having just achieved the double (at time of writing.) Batting first for Blaze, Tammy Beaumont second-wicket partnership with Kathryn Bryce banked 80; followed by Georgia Elwiss 57 runs (from 64 balls) and top-scorer Orla Prendergast 69(73) whose fourth-wicket partnership added 93. Bears best bowler was Issy Wong, who took a ‘5-fer’ (taking 5 wickets/conceding 58 runs.) Bears temporary skipper Katie George 89(113) batted for two hours for top-score, partnered by guest New Zealander Brooke Halliday 52(67):- their third-wicket partnership banked 125 runs. Best Blaze bowler was spinner Lucy Higham who took a ‘4-fer’ (4 wickets/41 runs.) Stand-out bowler Charley N Phillips took 1/17 with two ‘maidens’ from her eight overs. Separately, Warwickshire (Bears) women were thought by commentators to have a fair chance of reaching finals-day, with resident skipper Georgia Davis noticeably absent from remaining matches. Commentators for Bears TV Livestream were Mike Perkins (Sports journalist); Rosa Simpkin (Centre for Community Journalism C4CJ at Cardiff University, in partnership with BBC Sport); with guest Christina ‘Tina/Tine’ Gough (German womens’ International & Milford Hall, Staffs.) Weather: mainly overcast with sunny spells and noticeable breeze 16-18C.
The Blaze women wearing orange-and-black ‘paper tiger’ stripes with black joggers; *skipper Kirstie Gordon *[Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Bears women]; *with Kathryn and Sarah Bryce (Scotland internationals); *Also with Orla Prendergast (Republic of Ireland international); *Marie Kelly was caught at ‘gully’ by Meg Austin, from seamer Issy Wong; *Score 49/1 after 10 overs power-play *Mis-timing a ‘swipe,’ Tammy Beaumont was caught by keeper Nat Wraith, from left-armed spinner Phoebe Brett; *Kathryn Bryce was caught aerial at ‘deep-mid-off’ by Em Arlott , from Phoebe Brett; *Mid-way score: 123/2 after 25overs; *Georgia Elwiss ‘snicked-an-edge’ to keeper Nat Wraith, from Issy Wong; *Sarah Bryce was caught inside-the-circle at ‘mid-on’ by Alexa Stonehouse, from Issy Wong; *Orla Prendergast was caught aerial at ‘backward-square’ by Brooke Halliday, from Issy Wong; *Kirstie Gordon went plumb ’leg-before’ to Issy Wong; Blaze women batting: Orla Prendergast 69(73); Georgia Elwiss 57(64), Kathryn Bryce 45(66); Tammy Beaumont 32(49); Emma Jones 19*not out(12); Sarah Bryce 15(18); Bears women bowling: Issy Wong 5/58(10); Phoebe Brett 2/51(9);
Warwickshire (Bears) women wearing dark blue stripes, with ‘bear’ logo and yellow numbers; skipper Katie George; *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for The Blaze women]; *with guest international player Brooke Halliday (New Zealand); *Making a slow departure, Davina Perrin went plumb ’leg-before’ to left-armed seamer Grace Ballinger; *Meg Austin was caught at ‘slip’ by Tammy Beaumont’s spectacular dive, from Grace Ballinger; *Score 31/2(vs49/1) after 10 overs power-play; *Level-pegging by mid-way score: 116/2(vs 123/2) after 25overs; *Left-handed batter Brooke Halliday who scored ‘fifty’ was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Kathryn Bryce, from Orla Prendergast; *Left-handed batter Charis Pavely was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Lucy Higham, from Orla Prendergast; *Em Arlott was caught inside-the-circle at ‘mid-off’ by Marie Kelly, from Charley N Phillips; *Nat Wraith was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Georgia Elwiss, from Lucy Higham; *Two balls later, Issy Wong was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by Lucy Higham, for a second-ball ‘duck;’ *Alexa Stonehouse was caught aerial leg-side at ‘cow-corner’ by Orla Prendergast, from Lucy Higham; *Batting for two-hours, top-scorer Katie George was caught-and-bowled ‘on-the-turn’ at shoulder height by Kathryn Bryce; *Finally, Phoebe Brett was caught at ‘long-on’ by Orla Prendergast, from Lucy Higham for a third-ball ‘duck;’ Bears women batting: Katie George 89(113); Brooke Halliday 52(67); Charis Pavely 14(13); Em Arlott 14(14); Blaze women bowling: Lucy Higham 4/41(8.3); Orla Prendergast 2/31(6). Grace Ballinger 2/37(7); Kathryn Bryce 1/32(6); Charley N Phillips 1/17(8);
Match result: The Blaze (women) 282/7 (@5.6 runs-per-over from 50 overs) beat Warwickshire (Bears) (women) 212 ‘All out’ (@4.8 r-p-o/target 283 from 43.3/50 ov.) by 70 runs with 39 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#mc5520000-6664-a623-6aa3-08de2dc24bc9
*Mid-term results with upcoming League one fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/05/17/metro-bank-one-day-cup-league-one-women/
*Group-stage results with remaining League two fixtures @url: http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2026/08/19/metro-bank-one-day-cup/
