The Blaze completed an impressive domestic treble by edging out Hampshire in a dramatic, last‑ball finish to claim the Metro Bank One Day Cup women's title. Already winners of the Vitality Blast and the Vitality T20 County Cup, the Trent Bridge‑based side faced a fierce chase that demanded both resilience and composure.
After a steady partnership between Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss laid the foundation for a 252‑run target, the Blaze found themselves needing 17 runs from the final two overs and then just two runs from the very last delivery. It was Emma Jones who rose to the occasion, delivering an unbeaten 34 off 25 balls and striking the decisive runs that secured the championship.
The match began with Lucy Higham delivering a standout spell, taking 4 for 49 and helping to restrict Hampshire—who were also the runners‑up in the 2025 edition—to 251. Both Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp contributed half‑centuries, but the Blaze’s disciplined bowling, especially the miserly early overs from Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips, kept the opposition’s scoring rate low, yielding only 11 runs in the first five overs.
Hampshire’s opening duo, the in‑form Maia Bouchier and McCaughan, attempted to shift momentum with an 84‑run partnership, during which McCaughan notched her first fifty since June. Bouchier, who had been dismissed for a duck earlier, was unable to continue her run of centuries, falling to a long‑on catch after Georgia Adams drove the ball to mid‑off, both dismissals credited to Higham. The Blaze then relaxed as McCaughan and Kemp built a solid 67‑run stand in the middle overs, taking the score to 166‑2 by the 32nd over.
However, the Blaze’s experience shone through in the death overs. Higham claimed the third and fourth wickets of the innings, first by stumping Kemp and then by a spectacular catch taken by Kirstie Gordon at mid‑on to dismiss Naomi Dattani. Gordon, who has taken 14 wickets in eight matches since returning from The Hundred, recorded her third four‑wicket haul of the season with figures of 4‑49. Meanwhile, pacer Charley Phillips delivered a lethal spell, removing Rhianna Southby, Abi Norgrove and Amanda‑Jade Wellington in three consecutive overs, which helped keep Hampshire’s total at 251.
During the chase, Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont dominated the bowling attack for the first 15 overs, putting together a 95‑run partnership with apparent ease. Their progress was briefly halted when Wellington spun a delivery that resulted in the dismissal of both Bryce sisters in a single over—Sarah was caught at deep square leg, while Kathryn was elegantly taken at slip. Beaumont, supported by Georgia Elwiss, continued to anchor the innings.
The former England opener was fortunate throughout the chase, surviving three dropped catches and a stumping opportunity. Her luck eventually ran out when she was given out lbw to Wellington after scoring her fifth half‑century of the season, triggering a mini‑collapse that saw three wickets fall in just 26 balls. With 30 runs still required, the Blaze lost another wicket as Kirstie Gordon was caught, leaving the side needing 17 runs from the final two overs. Emma Jones, already unbeaten on 34, took charge of the closing stages.
She displayed a range of strokes, including a powerful reverse pull and a crisp straight drive that both found the boundary. Even after a run‑out on the third ball of the final over, Jones remained unfazed.
She continued to rotate the strike and, with a calm sweep, dispatched the ball over the boundary for four runs on the very last ball of the match, sealing a nerve‑wracking victory for the Blaze. The win not only added the Metro Bank One Day Cup to the Blaze’s trophy cabinet but also underscored their dominance across all formats of the domestic women’s game this season.
Their ability to bounce back from precarious positions, combined with individual brilliance from players like Emma Jones, Lucy Higham, and Kirstie Gordon, highlighted a squad depth that proved decisive in high‑pressure scenarios. The Blaze’s treble—comprising the Vitality Blast, the Vitality T20 County Cup, and now the One Day Cup—cements their status as the pre‑eminent force in English women’s county cricket, setting a benchmark for excellence and consistency. Looking ahead, the Blaze will aim to maintain this high standard as they prepare for upcoming fixtures and potential international call‑ups. Their blend of seasoned internationals and emerging talent suggests a bright future, with the experience of clinching three major titles in a single season providing invaluable confidence.
For Hampshire, despite the disappointment of falling short, the performance of players like McCaughan and Kemp offers optimism, as they demonstrated the capacity to post competitive totals and challenge the reigning champions. In summary, the Blaze’s triumph in the Metro Bank One Day Cup was a masterclass in perseverance, strategic bowling, and clutch batting under pressure. The final‑ball heroics of Emma Jones will be remembered as a defining moment of the season, encapsulating the drama and excitement that make cricket such a compelling sport.