The Blaze completed an impressive domestic treble by edging out Hampshire in a heart‑stopping finish to the Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s tournament. Having already lifted the Vitality Blast and the Vitality T20 County Cup earlier in the season, the Trent Bridge‑based side were forced to summon every ounce of resilience in the final, needing 17 runs from the last two overs and then just two from the very last ball.
It was Emma Jones who rose to the occasion, delivering an unbeaten 34 off 25 deliveries and striking the decisive runs after Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss had already contributed solid half‑centuries in the chase of a target of 252. The match began with Lucy Higham producing a standout spell, claiming four wickets for 49 runs and helping to keep Hampshire – who were also the runners‑up in the 2025 edition – to a total of 251. Both Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp reached the fifty‑run mark, providing the opposition with a strong platform.
After winning the toss, The Blaze employed a tight opening strategy, with Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips conceding only 11 runs in the first five overs, a testament to their disciplined bowling and miserly approach. Hampshire’s opening partnership, however, began to gain momentum thanks to the in‑form Maia Bouchier and McCaughan, who forged an 84‑run stand. McCaughan, delighted to register her first fifty since June, played with confidence, circulating the ball around the field. Bouchier, who had been dismissed for a duck earlier in the tournament, could not extend her run of three consecutive centuries; she was caught on the long‑on boundary shortly before Georgia Adams struck a straight drive to mid‑off, both dismissals falling to Higham’s accurate bowling.
The middle overs saw McCaughan and Kemp dominate, adding a 67‑run partnership that propelled Hampshire to 166‑2 by the 32nd over. Yet The Blaze’s experience and tactical acumen began to surface.
Higham struck again, securing the third and fourth wickets of the innings: she trapped Kemp with a stumping and then induced Naomi Dattani to be caught brilliantly by Kirstie Gordon at mid‑on. Gordon, a spinner who has taken 14 wickets in eight matches since returning from The Hundred, recorded her third four‑for in that period with figures of 4‑49. Meanwhile, pace bowler Charley Phillips delivered a devastating spell, removing Rhianna Southby, Abi Norgrove and Amanda‑Jade Wellington in three consecutive overs, which caused Hampshire’s momentum to collapse and left them stranded at 251.
In response, The Blaze’s chase began brightly. Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont dismantled the bowling attack over a 15‑over spell, building a comfortable 95‑run partnership. Their aggressive intent put pressure on the opposition, but Wellington managed to turn the tide briefly, dismissing both Bryce sisters in a single over – Sarah was caught at deep square leg and Kathryn was elegantly taken at slip. Despite these setbacks, Beaumont, supported by Elwiss, kept the scoreboard ticking.
The former England opener was fortunate throughout the innings: she survived three dropped catches and even a stumping chance, before finally being given out leg‑before‑wicket to Wellington. That wicket triggered a mini‑collapse, with three wickets falling in the span of 26 balls.
With 30 runs still required and the wickets falling, the match entered its most tense phase. Kirstie Gordon was caught, leaving The Blaze needing 17 runs from the final two overs.
Emma Jones, who had already contributed a quick‑fire 34, took charge. She executed a spectacular reverse pull and a clean straight drive, both finding the boundary, and despite being involved in a run‑out on the third ball of the over, she remained composed.
The climax arrived on the very last ball of the match: Jones unleashed a sweeping four that sailed over the field, sealing a dramatic victory for The Blaze and confirming their domestic treble. The win not only highlighted the depth of talent within The Blaze squad but also underscored their ability to perform under pressure.
Emma Jones’ composure in the closing moments, Lucy Higham’s consistent wicket‑taking, and the strategic bowling plans of Ballinger, Phillips and Gordon all combined to deliver a memorable finish. The Blaze’s achievement of securing three major domestic trophies in a single season – the Vitality Blast, the Vitality T20 County Cup, and the Metro Bank One Day Cup – marks a historic milestone for the club and sets a high benchmark for future campaigns. Their triumph will be remembered as a testament to teamwork, resilience, and the capacity to thrive when the stakes are highest.