Image source, PA Media

Linsey Smith scoots one past the edge of Sarah Bryce's bat to start the over. Delicious delivery. Picked up her best figures for the Vipers in nearly seven years earlier this week at Hove and added a couple earlier today too. In form.

Bryce pays her back with a driven four to the long-off fence. Six off the over. As we know from earlier this is a decent track and the outfield is rapid.

Boundaries for the departed Tammy Beaumont and an edge for four to third by Sarah Bryce have helped the Blaze put nine up, however Anya Shrubsole has the breakthrough and might feel a tad unfortunate with the edge.

Breathless start.

Linsey Smith takes the second over.

Jemma Green
BBC Local Radio commentator and former Hampshire Women player

Captains losing the toss usually say they don't mind what they do but I think that's genuine with the Vipers, they have a good record batting or bowling first.

The Blaze would have watched the game earlier, it's a fantastic pitch to bat on, they'll have seen the Vipers post a big total and The Blaze will be hoping to do a similar thing.

Rita Green
BBC Local Radio commentator and former Berkshire player

First versus second in the table as it ended in the league phase. It's the game most people would have wanted if you're a neutral.

BBC local radio

A reminder that you can listen to ball-by-ball radio coverage of today's final, courtesy of our colleagues in BBC local radio, at the top of this page.

We have huddling. Must mean the action is moments away...

Interesting this. Do the Blaze have an advantage having sat out the semi-final, played in the searing Worcester heat? Or do the Vipers know the pitch and the conditions well enough to give them the edge?

Get involved using #bbccricket to let us know your thoughts, and give us your predictions.

We'll know soon.

The Blaze have won the toss and elected to bat first... they have Tammy Beaumont and Kirstie Gordon to call on after they were released by England during their Ashes preparations, as was leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, however the Blaze's leading scorer, all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt was not.

Vipers have Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt and spinner Charlie Dean available after their England release but quick Lauren Bell was not permitted to play.

Bouchier and Wyatt put on 108 for the opening wicket in their semi-final eliminator win over Thunder a few hours ago. What the Vipers wouldn't give for another stand like that later on.

In the previous two editions of the Charlotte Edwards Cup, the team that finished top of the group stage has gone on to lift the trophy – South East Stars in 2021, and the Southern Vipers a year ago.

The Blaze won seven from seven to finish first this time around, a place ahead of their opponents at New Road. South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk is the competition's leading wicket-taker with 14.

Vipers captain Georgia Adams is 23 runs shy of overhauling Bryony Smith's 256 runs for the competition lead.

The Southern Vipers have won four of their five Charlotte Edwards Cup clashes with the Blaze over the last couple of years but the Blaze did win their last encounter, by five wickets with two balls to spare at Derby just 12 days ago.

Welcome back, 20 minutes in the garden was more than enough, right? Back into the shade and in front of a screen for what promises to be a thrilling climax to the Charlotte Edwards Cup campaign.

The defending champions, the Southern Vipers, are looking for their fourth piece of silverware in three years of regional cricket.

The Blaze are the only professional side in the country, men's or women's cricket, not to have tasted defeat yet in 2023.

This is one not to miss...

After all that excitement, it's not just the Vipers players who need a lie down in a cool, dark room.

We'll be back a little later for all the build-up to the Charlotte Edwards Cup final as the defending champions face the unbeaten table toppers - it should be a cracker!

See you at 15:45 BST.

Georgia Adams, Southern Vipers captain:

"Danni Wyatt and Maia Bouchier's opening partnership was sensational and set us off nicely. I thought we bowled brilliantly to defend that on a good wicket.

"It was brilliant semi-final, that's what you want, the Thunder played really well so to get over the line is brilliant.

"The plan for the next hour is to recover and go again.. and maybe eat."

Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld:

"I was really proud of the bowlers, they clawed it back really well. We were happy with their total in the end, unfortunately in the end we just fell short in the chase.

"I'm really proud of how the girls came back after a tough start (to the Charlotte Edwards Cup campaign) and we've got to FInals Day for the first time. I'm proud of the character they have shown."

Jemma Green
BBC Local Radio commentator and former Hampshire Women player

I thought Thunder did a lot right, they batted, bowled and fielded well, but Southern Vipers were a little bit better in all three disciplines.

It's Thunder's first Finals Day and they put on a great show, but it's the Vipers who go through to the final for the second year running.

Image source, PA Media

The defending champions will face the unbeaten Blaze in the final at 16:00 BST.

The table-toppers will have relished watching the Vipers toiling in the heat for the past three hours. How much will this hard-fought semi-final eliminator have taken out of the holders?

We'll find out in just over an hour.

Kevan James
BBC Radio Solent commentator

Image source, Getty Images

With every ball that's not a boundary, Thunder's hopes of reaching the final slip away.

Ellie Threlkeld charged down the pitch to attack Charlie Dean's first ball, but it beats the bat, her pads and the keeper and skids away to the rope.

A couple of singles and a play-and-miss from Ellie Threlkeld before Georgia Adams sprawls to save three runs with a diving stop.

Dean stops the last ball to Dani Collins.

Brilliant, timely over, from Dean. Seven off it.

25 needed off the final over.

Kevan James
BBC Radio Solent commentator

Somebody needs to hit a couple of boundaries pretty quickly.