The Blaze completed an extraordinary domestic treble by narrowly outlasting Hampshire in a nail‑biting finish to the Metro Bank One Day Cup women's tournament. Already holders of the Vitality Blast and the Vitality T20 County Cup, the Trent Bridge‑based side were forced to summon every ounce of resolve when the chase turned into a high‑pressure sprint in the final two overs.
After needing 17 runs from the last twelve balls and then just two from the very last delivery, it was Emma Jones who stepped up, delivering an unbeaten 34 off 25 balls and striking the decisive runs that sealed the win. Her heroics came on the back of solid contributions from Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss, both of whom had already posted half‑centuries in the pursuit of the 252‑run target.
The match began with Lucy Higham delivering a standout spell for the Blaze, 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. Hampshire’s innings was anchored by fifties from Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp, who kept the scoreboard ticking. After winning the toss, the Blaze opted to bowl and immediately imposed tight discipline, with Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips conceding just 11 runs in the first five overs.
However, the opening partnership of the in‑form Maia Bouchier and Ella McCaughan began to shift momentum, constructing an 84‑run stand that steadied Hampshire’s chase. McCaughan, celebrating her first fifty since June, played a confident range of shots, while Bouchier, after a brief duck, was unable to add another century as she was caught on the long‑on boundary shortly before Georgia Adams drove the ball straight to mid‑off, both dismissals credited to Higham. As the middle overs unfolded, McCaughan and Kemp continued to dominate, adding a 67‑run partnership that saw Hampshire at 166 for 2 by the 32nd over.
Yet the Blaze’s experience and strategic acumen began to surface. Higham, the same bowler who had earlier taken four wickets, struck again by removing Kemp via a stumping and then dismissing Naomi Dattani with a brilliant catch by Kirstie Gordon at mid‑on. Gordon, a spinner who has amassed 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 rapid burst, taking three wickets in three consecutive overs – Rhianna Southby, Abi Norgrove and Amanda‑Jade Wellington – as Hampshire’s momentum stalled and the total settled at 251.
In response, the Blaze’s batting line‑up, led by Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont, launched an aggressive assault that saw them dominate the bowlers for fifteen overs, building a 95‑run partnership with apparent ease. However, Wellington fought back, dismissing both Bryce sisters in a single over – Sarah was caught at deep square leg and Kathryn fell superbly at slip. Despite the setbacks, Beaumont, supported by Georgia Elwiss, kept the chase on track. The former England opener was exceptionally fortunate, surviving three drops and a stumping opportunity before finally being given out leg‑before‑wicket to Wellington, a dismissal that triggered a rapid loss of three wickets in just 26 balls.
With the required runs climbing to 30 and the pressure mounting, Gordon fell caught, leaving the Blaze needing 17 runs from the final two overs. Emma Jones rose to the occasion, dismantling the remaining tension with a combination of powerful strokes.
She executed 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 maintained composure. The climax arrived on the very last ball of the match: Jones, displaying nerves of steel, swept a four that sailed over the field, clinching the victory for the Blaze and completing an unprecedented domestic treble. The win not only underscored the Blaze’s depth of talent across formats but also highlighted their ability to thrive under extreme pressure, cementing their status as one of the premier women’s cricket teams in England.