Blaze win to stay in Heyhoe Flint Trophy contention
Kathryn Bryce has taken 18 wickets and scored 208 runs in this season's Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
- Published
Kathryn Bryce produced a superb all-round performance as The Blaze maintained their hopes of a seasonal double with a six-wicket win over Sunrisers at Derby.
The Scotland all-rounder took 4-41 as Sunrisers were bowled out for 245 and then scored an unbeaten 87 to steer her side to 249-4 in 43.3 overs.
The Charlotte Edwards Cup winners remain fifth in the group table, with the top four set to progress to the semi-finals.
At Beckenham, Kira Chathli hit 86 not out off 81 balls as South East Stars beat bottom-of-the-table Western Storm by five wickets.
Just four points separate leaders Southern Vipers from Sunrisers in fourth, with Northern Diamonds and South East Stars between them - though Diamonds have a game in hand.
The Blaze closed the cap on Sunrisers to three points with their victory which came despite Cordelia Griffith's 65 off 73 balls for the visitors.
Tammy Beaumont, left out of England's squad for the T20 World Cup, put on 76 for the first wicket with Sarah Bryce (41) as The Blaze began their chase.
She hit a six and three fours in her 59 off 71 balls before falling leg-before to Eva Gray after making no contact with an attempted pull shot.
From 151-1, The Blaze subsided to 200-4, but Ella Claridge (33) shared an unbroken stand of 49 with Kathryn Bryce as they cruised to their target with six and a half overs to spare.
“Winning the Charlotte Edwards [Cup] has given us a lot of belief. We need other results to go in our favour but we will try to win the next two games and see what happens," Bryce said.
Chathli steers Stars to win
Kira Chathli's 86 not out was her highest score in List A cricket
Western Storm went into the day's other game having won only three of their 11 previous games, and found themselves 8-2 after two overs, with both openers back in the dressing room.
But Sophia Luff and Fran Wilson put on 135 for the third wicket before the former was bowled by Ryana MacDonald-Gay for 58 in the 30th over.
Wilson went on to make 81 off 92 balls but holed out at long-on off Kalea Moore, leaving Nat Wraith to take on the leading role with 68 off 53,including two sixes.
She also fell to Moore (2-60) but a total of 282-8 meant the Stars, in their final game at Beckenham, had a tough target to chase.
Chloe Hill (31) and Paige Scholfield (49) gave them a good start but at 164-5 in the 31st over, there was still work to do.
Chathli and 20-year-old MacDonald-Gay made light of their task, however, adding 119 - a Stars record sixth-wicket stand - to finish the job after 47.2 overs.
MacDonald-Gay hit a four and a six off Niamh Holland to finish with 51 not out off 52 balls - her first 50-over half-century.
Sunday fixture
Southport: Thunder v Northern Diamonds
Play starts 10:30 BST