The Blaze (women) vs Somerset (women) – match 64, League One – at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham on Sunday 06 September 2026
Driven by the prospect of lifting their third domestic trophy this season, The Blaze women (top-of-table) should qualify directly for the final (on 19 September) with two group-stage fixtures remaining. Somerset women’s defeat places them outside top-three qualification (at time of writing.) Batting first, Somerset women’s skipper Sophie Luff [52runs (from57 balls)] chalked-up her fourth campaign ‘fifty’ at 50 overs: partnered by Niamh Holland 32(47.) Their partnership banked 66 runs. Best Blaze bowler Lucy Higham took a 4-fer: (4 wickets/conceding 28 runs.) Match was briefly interrupted by rain, challenging The Blaze womens’ run-chase in ‘slippery’ conditions, level-pegging after 20 overs (74/3 vs 87/3.) match-winning 91-run fifth-wicket partnership between Emma Jones 53*not out(44); and Sarah Bryce – pictured who made top-score 57*not out(65) saw Blaze home with unbeaten ‘fifties.’ Commentators for Blaze TV were Dan Jadzevics with Melinda ‘Mel’ Farrell (Broadcaster, SKY Sports.) Weather: rain interruption; pitch inspected (14h30); with damp outfield 16C.
Somerset women wearing black with large ‘flag-of-Somerset’ logos and plum helmets; * skipper Sophie Luff; *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for The Blaze women]; *without Charlie Dean or Dani Gibson (England duty); *Playing across-the-line, Sophie Luff went plumb ’leg-before’ to Eleanor Larosa; *Bex Odgers was caught aerial inside the circle at ‘square’ by Prisa Thanawala, from Grace Ballinger; *Next ‘over,’ Emma Corney was caught behind, one-handed, by Sarah Bryce reaching-out, from Charley Phillips; *22/2 after 10 overs power-play; *Missing a huge swing, Sophie Luff was stumped by Sarah Bryce, from Kathryn Bryce; *Niamh Holland was clean-bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Kirstie Gordon’s ball ‘that kept low;’ *Mid-way score: 116/4 after 25 overs; *Jess Hazell was caught aerial at ‘cover’ by Charley Phillips, from Kirstie Gordon; *Katie Jones was stumped by Sarah Bryce, from Lucy Higham coming round-the-wicket; *Jasmine ‘Jazz’ Westley was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Tammy Beaumont diving forward with a roll, from Lucy Higham coming over-the-wicket; *Chloe Skelton was bowled top of ‘middle-and-off’ by Lucy Higham coming round-the-wicket; *Carbon-copy dismissal when Alex Griffiths was similarly clean-bowled by Lucy Higham; *Lola Harris was clean-bowled ‘through-the-gate’ by Grace Ballinger for a second-ball duck; Somerset women batting: Sophie Luff 52(57); Alex Griffiths 38(51); Niamh Holland 32(47); Jess Hazell 20(30); Katie Jones 11(24); The Blaze women bowling: Lucy Higham 4/28(9); Grace Ballinger 2/27(8.1); Kirstie Gordon 2/48(9); Charley Phillips 1/19(8); Kathryn Bryce 1/31(6);
The Blaze women wearing orange-and-black ‘paper tiger’ stripes with black joggers; skipper Kirstie Gordon (Scotland international); *[Katie Jones keeping wicket for Somerset women]; *with Kathryn & Sarah Bryce (Scotland internationals); *without Orla Prendergast (Republic of Ireland duty); *Prisa Thanawala was caught at ’slip’ by Bex Odgers, from Ellie Anderson; *Kathryn Bryce was caught behind by Katie Jones rolling off-side, from Ellie Anderson; *Score 38/2(vs22/2) after 10 overs power-play; *Georgia Elwiss was caught aerial at ‘backward-square’ by leaping Bex Odgers, from Jasmine ‘Jazz’ Westley; *Mid-way score: 95/3(vs116/4) after 25 overs; *Tammy Beaumont was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Jess Hazell’s rolling-dive, from Chloe Skelton; The Blaze women batting: Sarah Bryce 57*not out(65); Emma Jones 53*not out(44); Tammy Beaumont 39(81); Georgia Elwiss 23(30); Somerset women bowling: Ellie Anderson 2/34(7); Jasmine ‘Jazz’ Westley 1/42(7); Chloe Skelton 1/43(9);
Match result: The Blaze (women) 196/4 @5.0 runs-per-over/target 193 from 38.3/50 overs) beat Somerset (women) 192 ‘All out’ (@4.1 r-p-o from 46.1/50 overs) by six wickets with 69 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play @url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#c43d251c2-5e06-43de-826f-47d67a843862_mc5520000-6664-a623-ca44-08de2dc24c87
*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/
