The Blaze Women Beat Essex by Seven Wickets in Vitality Blast

In the Women's T20 Blast, The Blaze secured a commanding seven-wicket victory over Essex at the County Ground in Derby, with Kathryn Bryce delivering an outstanding all-round performance by taking 2 for 11 and scoring an unbeaten 51 runs. Essex struggled after losing early wickets and were bowled out for 104, despite Jo Gardner's top score of 22. The Blaze overcame an early injury to their opening bowler, Grace Ballinger, but maintained disciplined bowling led by Bryce and Cassidy McCarthy, who took 2 wickets for 22 runs. The chase was efficient, with The Blaze reaching the target with 35 balls to spare, highlighting their strong form following previous wins against Somerset and The Bears. Meanwhile, Essex has had mixed results this season, showing promise with players like Lauren Winfield-Hill and Alice Macleod but needing more consistent contributions from skipper Grace Scrivens. The County Ground in Derby has proven to favor teams batting first, though The Blaze's recent success chasing low totals shows adaptability on the pitch.