The Blaze completed a remarkable domestic treble by edging out Hampshire in a one‑run thriller in the Metro Bank One Day Cup final. The Trent Bridge outfit had already captured the Vitality Blast and the Vitality T20 County Cup, but the one‑day final proved to be the most testing of all.
After posting a formidable total of 252, they were left needing 17 runs from the final two overs and just two runs from the very last ball. It was Emma Jones who rose to the occasion, hammering an unbeaten 34 off just 25 deliveries and sealing the win with a four on the final delivery, after Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss had already contributed half‑centuries in the chase. The match began with Lucy Higham delivering a game‑changing spell, taking 4‑49 and helping to restrict Hampshire – who were also the runners‑up in the 2025 edition – to 251.
Both Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp made valuable contributions, each reaching the fifty‑run mark. The Blaze won the toss and, thanks to the tight bowling of Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips, they kept Hampshire’s scoring to a modest 11 runs in the first five overs. However, the opening partnership of the in‑form Maia Bouchier and McCaughan began to shift momentum, putting together an 84‑run stand.
McCaughan, confident and aggressive, struck her first half‑century since June, while Bouchier, after being dismissed for a duck, was unable to claim a third consecutive century, falling to a long‑on catch before Georgia Adams drove a straight hit to mid‑off, both dismissals credited to Higham. The middle overs saw McCaughan and Kemp dominate, adding a further 67 runs and taking the score to 166‑2 by the 32nd over.
Yet The Blaze’s experience shone through. Higham claimed the third and fourth wickets of the innings, first by stumping Kemp and then by taking a brilliant catch at mid‑on to dismiss Naomi Dattani, who had been caught by Kirstie Gordon.
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 rapid spell, removing Rhianna Southby, Abi Norgrove and Amanda‑Jade Wellington in three consecutive overs, which helped keep Hampshire’s total capped at 251. In response, the Blaze’s chase began confidently. Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont took charge, dismantling the bowling attack over a 15‑over partnership that added 95 runs with apparent ease.
Their momentum was briefly halted when Wellington spun a delivery that saw both Bryce sisters fall in the same over – Sarah was caught at deep square leg, while 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, surviving three dropped catches and a stumping opportunity. Her luck eventually ran out when she was given out lbw to Wellington, marking her fifth half‑century of the season but also triggering a mini‑collapse that saw three wickets tumble in just 26 balls.
With 30 runs still required and the pressure mounting, Gordon fell to a catch, leaving the Blaze needing 17 from the final two overs. Emma Jones, who had already contributed a quick‑fire 34, took charge.
She struck a spectacular reverse pull and a crisp straight drive that both reached the boundary, and even after being involved in a run‑out on the third ball of the over, she steadied the innings. The climax arrived on the very last ball of the match: Jones executed a perfect sweep, sending the ball to the boundary for four runs, clinching a one‑run victory for The Blaze.
The win not only secured the Metro Bank One Day Cup but also completed a historic domestic treble for The Blaze, underscoring their dominance across all formats of the women's game this season. Their ability to recover from tight situations, combined with individual brilliance from players like Emma Jones, Lucy Higham, and Tammy Beaumont, highlighted a squad that thrives under pressure.
The final also showcased the depth of talent in the women's county circuit, with Hampshire putting up a valiant fight through strong performances from Bouchier, McCaughan, and Kemp. As the season draws to a close, The Blaze’s achievement will be remembered as a benchmark of consistency, resilience, and skill in English women's cricket.