Essex (women) vs The Blaze – (match 54) at The Ambassador Cruise Line Ground Chelmsford, on Saturday 13 September 2025
The Blaze’s win booked their home semi-final at Trent Bridge. Blaze bowled-out Essex women for 211 and ensured they were ahead on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern when batting through at least five overs before rain intervened. On the day, Blaze pairing of skipper Kirstie Gordon (spin) and Kathryn Bryce (seam) removed both Essex openers. Blaze’s best bowler Orla Prendergast – pictured (seam closing with three wickets/conceding 43 runs); was paired with Lucy Higham 2/33 (spin) who took two crucial wickets. Essex batter Sophia Smale 41(from 61) made top-score. By the time rain stopped play, Blaze batters were 59 without loss from 11.2 overs, beyond which point no further play was possible. Separately, that brought a premature end to Essex women’s season, unable to qualify beyond their group-stage. In contrast, The Blaze finished their group-stage second only to Hants women, previously having done enough for semi-final qualification. Commentator Toby Reynolds with guests. Weather: grey cloud cover evolved into heavy rain, immediately after floodlights were switched-on.
Essex (women) wearing mauve splash over dark blue; skipper Grace Scrivens (‘England ‘A’); *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for The Blaze]; *with Liberty Heap (Lancs loan – misreported by non-UK sources as ‘Heath’), Ariana Dowse, Lissy MacLeod and Kate Coppack; without Cordelia Griffith, Jodi Grewcock, Abtaha Maqsood or Sophie Munro (injured); *Grace Scrivens was caught at ‘square’ (to the left-hander) by Ella Claridge, from Kirstie Gordon; *After 10 overs ‘power-play’ 38/1; *Ariana Dowse was ‘run-out’ by Georgie Boyce’s direct hit; *Liberty Heap was caught aerial at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Kathryn Bryce, from Orla Prendergast *Flo Miller went ‘aerial,’ collected at ’slip’ by keeper Sarah Bryce, from Orla Prendergast; *After 25 overs 109/4; *Two balls later, Lissy MacLeod was caught-and-bowled by Lucy Higham, diving across the non-striker’s end; *Amara Carr was bowled by ’through-the-gate’ by Lucy Higham; *Jo Gardner was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Orla Prendergast; *Diving Eva Gray was ‘run-out’ from ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Lucy Higham’s throw to Sarah Bryce, receiving at the striker’s end; *Sophia Smale was caught ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Orla Prendergast, from Grace Ballinger; *Finally, Esmae MacGregor was momentarily stumped by keeper Sarah Bryce, from Kathryn Bryce;Essex (women) batting: Sophia Smale41(61), Jo Gardner36(36), Liberty Heap33(37), Lissy MacLeod30(38), Ariana Dowse20(42), Grace Scrivens16(26); Blaze (women) bowling: Orla Prendergast 3/43, Lucy Higham 2/33, Kathryn Bryce 1/34, Kirstie Gordon 1/36;
Blaze women wearing orange with vertical ‘paper tiger’ stripes over black, plus leg-joggers with half-white stripes and gold numbers; *skipper Kirstie Gordon *International player Orla Prendergast (Republic of Ireland) *with Scotland Internationals Kathryn & Sarah Bryce, *with Charley Phillips & Lucy Higham, without Georgia Elwiss (rested); Blaze (women) batting: Sarah Bryce 33*not out (37), Georgie Boyce 23*not out (31); Floodlights were switched on after 11 overs. Rain stopped play. Target was revised.
Match result: The Blaze 59/0 (@5.1 runs-per-over from 11.2 overs; DLS target 25 from 11.2) beat Essex women 211 ‘All out’ (@4.4 r-p-o from 47.4/50 ov.) by 35 runs (DLS Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method)
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#md8f3bd87-6b7f-4d86-bc13-d8f6cbbab800
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225570 & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/essex-women-v-the-blaze/scorecard/59829324-1d06-5eb8-b646-737235178416
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Essex Cricket (nv play) via YouTube [06h12m32s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWc0FihXrig
*Remaining fixtures @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=c_matches#cd7e1a744-02e9-4425-a3a4-d603f624f346
*League one results @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/05/22/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-and-results-up-to-may-2025/
*League two results @url hhttp://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/05/25/metro-bank-league-two-fixtures-and-results-up-to-may-2025
