Blaze Continue Their Dominant Run At Trent Bridge
There are dominant sides, and then there is The Blaze in 2025. The Nottingham-based outfit — already holders of the T20 Blast and County Cup — rolled over Somerset with consummate ease at Trent Bridge, wrapping up a six-wicket bonus-point win with more than eleven overs to spare. For any punters still sitting on the fence about backing them for One-Day Cup glory, this performance ought to have settled the matter. Their outright odds to lift the trophy will only tighten further after this display.
A single victory from their remaining two group fixtures is all that stands between The Blaze and a place in the final on 19 September — back at Trent Bridge, naturally. Home advantage in a final would be the perfect setting for what would be a genuinely historic treble.
Scorecard: The Blaze vs Somerset
Somerset posted 192 all out after captain Sophie Luff anchored their innings with her fourth half-century of the competition this season. It proved a competitive-looking total only on paper. Lucy Higham was outstanding with the ball, her off-spin returning figures of 4-28 to skittle through the Somerset line-up, while Grace Ballinger and Kirstie Gordon each chipped in with a brace of wickets to finish the job.
In reply, Tammy Beaumont set the tone with a fluent 39, before Sarah Bryce and Emma Jones took the match completely away from Somerset. Bryce compiled a measured 54 from 65 deliveries, while Jones was altogether more aggressive — her 53 came off just 44 balls. It was Jones's second half-century of the One-Day Cup campaign and another reminder of just how deep this Blaze batting order runs. The target was knocked off with 11.3 overs remaining.
Hampshire, Surrey And Lancashire Also Impress
Elsewhere across the Women's One-Day Cup, Wednesday proved a productive evening for several sides chasing a place in the knockout rounds. Hampshire leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington turned in a stunning display against Yorkshire, claiming a season-best 5-25 as the visitors were dismissed for 166 — Jess Jonassen's classy 64 offering mere consolation. Captain Georgia Adams then marshalled the chase with 61 not out as Hampshire romped home by seven wickets with nearly twelve overs to spare, securing a bonus point that keeps them second in the table, five points behind The Blaze.
Surrey put on a batting masterclass at Chelmsford, accumulating 344-7 before dismantling Essex by 118 runs. Priyanaz Chatterji was the standout performer, top-scoring with 77 and then claiming two wickets in the field. She was well supported by Sune Luus, the former South African skipper, who contributed 67, and Bryony Smith, who weighed in with 59. A century partnership of 103 between Chatterji and Phoebe Franklin in just 69 balls gave Surrey the platform they needed, and they duly earned a bonus point to move up to fifth.
Lancashire, the reigning champions, showed the grit of title-holders in a nervy finish against Durham at their new ground near Preston. Set 169-8, Durham threatened through a fourth-wicket stand of 71 between Hollie Armitage (54) and Bess Heath (43). But with nine runs needed off the final over, the retiring Kate Cross delivered under pressure, removing both Heath and Armitage on her way to figures of 3-24 and securing Lancashire's fifth consecutive victory by just three runs.
What Happens Next
The crunch fixture on the horizon is The Blaze's trip to Southampton to face Hampshire, a side who have already sealed their place in the knockouts and will be keen to go into the eliminator on a high. For The Blaze, it represents both an opportunity to wrap up top spot and a genuine examination of their credentials against a quality opponent. If they win there, the treble narrative becomes almost irresistible. Based on everything we have seen this season, it would take a brave analyst to bet against them.
