The Blaze Dominates Essex to Reach Women's One-Day Cup Final

The Blaze did not just book their place in the Metro Bank Women's One-Day Cup final at Queen's Park. They stamped their name all over it.

Chasing 160 to seal top spot and a bonus point, they romped home by nine wickets with a huge 185 balls to spare, the Bryce sisters turning a potentially awkward assignment against bottom side Essex into a ruthless procession.

Bryce sisters in complete control

Essex had one moment of joy. It came early.

Esmae MacGregor, a little ragged with her new-ball spell, produced one ball of genuine class to send back Tammy Beaumont, the former England opener beaten by one that jagged back and clipped the top of off. For a few seconds, Essex huddled, voices rose, fielders buzzed.

That was it.

From there, Sarah and Kathryn Bryce took charge and never loosened their grip. The Scotland internationals, already central to The Blaze’s trophy-laden season in the Vitality Blast and Vitality T20 County Cup, simply dismantled an Essex attack that rarely threatened.

Sarah Bryce finished unbeaten on 70, Kathryn on 67*, the pair adding an unbroken 132 for the second wicket. They scored at will, threading gaps, driving on the up, and punishing anything even slightly off line. Sarah cracked 10 fours, Kathryn 12 fours and a six, the last of those boundaries sealing victory and top spot with a flourish.

The chase was over in 19.1 overs. The contest had effectively been over long before.

Scrivens stands alone for Essex

That The Blaze had such a modest target owed everything to a disciplined, varied bowling performance and, from Essex’s perspective, an over-reliance on their captain.

Grace Scrivens played the lone hand. The 19-year-old led from the front with a composed 70 from 116 balls, holding the innings together while wickets fell in clumps around her. Only Sophie Smale, with 20, joined her in double figures.

Early on, there was promise. After The Blaze chose to bowl, Bryony Gilgrass and Scrivens looked to make the most of the powerplay. Gilgrass, also 19, produced some eye-catching strokes through the off side, hinting at a platform.

Cassidy McCarthy shut that down. Skidding one through, she trapped Gilgrass in front, then quickly removed Jodi Grewcock, who cut straight to backward point. From 80-2, Essex were still in the game. Within minutes, they were not.

Smale briefly counter-punched, taking McCarthy for back-to-back boundaries, but Lucy Higham’s off-spin turned the screw. Smale fell lbw on the back foot, Jo Gardner followed soon after, top-edging Higham into the leg side.

The collapse gathered pace. Left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon, The Blaze captain, pinned Mollie Adams lbw, Kathryn Bryce came on to bowl Liberty Heap, and Essex slid from 80-2 to 89-6.

Scrivens and Sophie Munro tried to rebuild, adding 41 and dragging the total towards something competitive. Then came the moment that broke Essex’s resistance. A misfield invited a risky single, hesitation crept in, and Munro was run out, their partnership undone in an instant.

Gordon, sharp in the field and with ball in hand, dived forward to cling on to a return catch and dismiss MacGregor. Scrivens’ vigil ended with a bottom edge onto her stumps, and Kathryn Bryce wrapped things up in the 46th over when Abtaha Maqsood holed out to long-on. Essex were all out for 159, Gordon the pick with 3-25, supported by two wickets apiece for Kathryn Bryce, Higham and McCarthy.

Blaze eye treble at Utilita Bowl

This was a statement win from a side chasing a treble and playing like they expect to complete it.

Defeat to Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday had briefly knocked The Blaze off top spot, but with Hampshire’s fixtures complete, the equation here was simple: avoid defeat and finish first. They did far more than that.

Hampshire now wait in the final, but first must watch Wednesday’s eliminator at the Utilita Bowl, where the winners of Surrey versus Somerset on Saturday will earn the right to face them. Whoever survives that route will then meet a Blaze side already carrying two trophies and brimming with confidence on 19 September.

On this evidence, they will have to find a way past a bowling unit that hunts in packs and a top order led by two sisters in rare, ruthless form.