The Blaze take it deep to stun Lancashire in Blast Thriller
In a thrilling Vitality Blast encounter at Emirates Old Trafford, The Blaze take it deep to stun Lancashire Thunder in a final-over nail-biter, securing a three-wicket victory with just three balls to spare. This dramatic chase marked the second consecutive win for The Blaze, while Lancashire Thunder suffered their second successive defeat of the campaign. The match featured a fascinating duel between two icons of the women’s game: England’s veteran opener Tammy Beaumont and former Australian captain Meg Lanning.
Meg Lanning Rescues Thunder After Early Collapse
Choosing to bat first, Lancashire Thunder endured a catastrophic start to their innings, collapsing to a precarious 33 for 4 within the powerplay. The Blaze’s opening bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly, putting immense pressure on the home side. Openers Eve Jones and Darcey Carter, alongside captain Ellie Threlkeld, were all dismissed while attempting to clear the inner ring. Meanwhile, Seren Smale was stumped after being deceived in flight.
Seamers Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips struck early blows to remove the openers. Following their dismissal, Australian overseas all-rounder Charli Knott turned the screws, claiming the wickets of Smale and Threlkeld in the space of just three balls during a superb sixth over. Ballinger was particularly impressive, finishing with superb figures of 2 for 14.
With the team in deep trouble, Meg Lanning showed exactly why she is regarded as one of the greatest players in cricket history. She spearheaded a remarkable recovery, first building a steadying 29-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Fi Morris. When Morris fell for 14, caught at short third man off a top-edged pull against Ballinger, Thunder were still struggling at 62 for 5.
However, Lanning found an ideal partner in Scottish international Ailsa Lister. Together, they put on an unbeaten, blistering 100-run partnership for the sixth wicket off just 9.5 overs. Lister played an excellent supporting role with 39 not out off 25 balls, while Lanning anchored the back end of the innings, finishing unbeaten on a magnificent 81 off 49 deliveries. The pair launched a late assault, clearing the boundary four times. Lanning was devastating in the final two overs, hitting three sixes—one off Kathryn Bryce and two off Charley Phillips—as Lancashire extracted 33 runs from the last 12 balls to finish on a competitive 162 for 5.
Tammy Beaumont Sparkles in the Powerplay
The chase began at a frantic pace for The Blaze. Although they lost Marie Kelly early to bowler Grace Potts, Tammy Beaumont was in no mood to hang around. The England Test opener immediately put the Lancashire bowlers on the back foot. In the third over, she targeted Tara Norris, launching her for two massive sixes over midwicket and long-on.
Beaumont followed this up by slog-sweeping her former international teammate Kate Cross for another six. She punished anything short or wide as the Lancashire bowlers struggled to find a consistent line and length. Beaumont raced to a superb half-century off just 24 balls, departing shortly after the powerplay for a brilliant 54 off 29 deliveries. At 76 for 1 in the eighth over, The Blaze looked to be cruising to an easy victory.
The Spin Fightback from Lancashire
The departure of Beaumont triggered a dramatic middle-order collapse as Lancashire’s spinners found their rhythm. Beaumont was bowled trying to pull an off-spin delivery from Darcey Carter. Shortly after, Kathryn Bryce dragged a full toss from Fi Morris straight to long-on.
The slide continued when Georgia Elwiss was bowled by left-arm spinner Hannah Jones, the ball deflecting off both her body and bat as she attempted a sweep shot. Charli Knott then sliced a delivery from the same bowler to backward point, leaving The Blaze reeling at 100 for 5, still needing 63 runs for victory. Fi Morris struck again to dismiss Emma Jones, who holed out to long-off, leaving Thunder sensing an unlikely comeback victory as Morris finished with impressive figures of 3 for 25.
Sarah Bryce and Kirstie Gordon Hold Their Nerve
With the game hanging in the balance, wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce stepped up to play a defining, composed hand. Displaying immense maturity, Bryce worked the ball into gaps and took calculated risks, scoring a vital 32 off 22 balls. She found a reliable ally in captain Kirstie Gordon, who contributed a crucial 20 runs in an invaluable 45-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The stand brought The Blaze to the brink of victory, leaving them needing just four runs from the final over. There was a brief moment of tension when Bryce was caught behind off Grace Potts on the very first ball of the over. However, with only a boundary required, the tailenders kept their composure to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory with three balls remaining, capping off a brilliant team effort in a memorable match.
