The Blaze wrapped up an extraordinary domestic treble by edging out Hampshire in a heart‑stopping finale to the Metro Bank One Day Cup women’s tournament. Already champions of the Vitality Blast and the Vitality T20 County Cup, the Trent Bridge‑based side faced a formidable chase of 252 runs and found themselves needing 17 runs from the final two overs, then just two runs off the very last delivery. It was Emma Jones who rose to the occasion, delivering an unbeaten 34 from 25 balls and striking the decisive runs after Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss had already contributed solid half‑centuries in the run‑chase. The match began with Lucy Higham delivering a spell‑binding performance, claiming four wickets for 49 runs and helping to keep Hampshire – who were also the losing finalists in 2025 – to a total of 251.
Both Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp made valuable contributions, each reaching the fifty‑run mark. After winning the toss, The Blaze opted to field, and their bowlers Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips applied extreme economy, conceding just 11 runs in the opening five overs.
This early pressure forced Hampshire’s opening partnership – featuring the in‑form Maia Bouchier and McCaughan – to rebuild slowly, eventually forging an 84‑run stand that gave the opposition some breathing room. McCaughan, confident and aggressive, celebrated her first fifty since June with a series of crisp, well‑timed shots. The momentum shifted when Bouchier, who had been dropped for a duck earlier in the innings, attempted to keep her streak of centuries alive but was caught on the long‑on boundary just before Georgia Adams struck a straight drive to mid‑off, both dismissals credited to Higham. The Blaze, however, refused to let the match slip away.
In the middle overs, McCaughan and Kemp built a commanding 67‑run partnership, taking the score to 166 for two by the 32nd over. Yet The Blaze’s experience and tactical acumen began to surface. Higham struck again, delivering the third and fourth wickets of the afternoon by orchestrating a stumping of Kemp and a brilliant catch of Naomi Dattani 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‑wicket haul of the season with figures of 4‑49. Charley Phillips added to the collapse, removing Rhianna Southby, Abi Norgrove and Amanda‑Jade Wellington in three consecutive overs, leaving Hampshire stranded at 251.
The Blaze then turned to their batting lineup, with Sarah Bryce and Tammy Beaumont launching an aggressive partnership that dominated the bowlers for 15 overs and added 95 runs with apparent ease. Wellington tried to stem the flow by dismissing both Bryce sisters in a single over – Sarah was caught at deep square leg, and Kathryn fell spectacularly at slip.
Beaumont, a former England opener, continued to anchor the chase, benefitting from three dropped catches and surviving a stumping chance. Her composure paid off as she reached her fifth half‑century of the campaign, only to be dismissed lbw by Wellington, triggering a mini‑collapse that saw three wickets tumble in just 26 balls.
With 30 runs still required and the pressure mounting, Gordon fell caught, leaving the equation at 17 runs needed from the final two overs. Emma Jones stepped up, delivering a series of powerful shots – a reverse pull and a straight drive that raced to the boundary – and even after a run‑out on the third ball of the over, she steadied the ship. The climax arrived with a single ball remaining; Jones, displaying nerves of steel, swept a four to the boundary, sealing a dramatic victory for The Blaze. This win not only completed a remarkable domestic treble for The Blaze but also highlighted the depth of talent within the squad.
Emma Jones’s composure under pressure, Lucy Higham’s lethal spell, and the strategic brilliance of bowlers like Grace Ballinger, Charley Phillips, and Kirstie Gordon showcased a team capable of delivering when it mattered most. The match also underscored the competitive spirit of Hampshire, who fought valiantly and produced notable performances from McCaughan, Kemp, and Bouchier, despite falling short. Beyond the immediate triumph, The Blaze’s achievement reflects a broader trend in women’s cricket, where increasing professionalism, strategic depth, and individual brilliance are raising the standard of the game.
The team’s ability to adapt across formats – from the rapid‑fire T20s of the Vitality Blast to the longer, more nuanced one‑day contests – demonstrates a versatile skill set that will serve them well in future domestic and international challenges. As the season concludes, fans and analysts alike will be watching to see how The Blaze build on this success, potentially eyeing further titles and cementing their status as a powerhouse in English women’s cricket.