Grace Ballinger and Tara Norris deliver crushing blow to Thunder's hopes

The Blaze emerged victorious over Thunder in a thrilling match, with a final score of 197 to 173. S Bryce led the charge for The Blaze with an impressive 34 runs, closely followed by K Bryce who scored 31 runs. Morris was the star bowler, taking 6 wickets for just 35 runs. Thunder put up a valiant effort, with Norris scoring a half-century with 53 runs, but ultimately fell short. Ballinger was the standout bowler for Thunder, taking 4 wickets for 23 runs. The Blaze clinched the win by 24 runs in a hard-fought contest.

A career-best 6 for 35 by Fi Morris for Lancashire Thunder was countered by a List A best for The Blaze of 4 for 23 by Grace Ballinger as the visitors ran out winners by 24 runs at Sale to keep their hopes alive in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Defeat for Thunder ends their hopes of making the knockout stages of the competition.

In a low-scoring contest, The Blaze - having started well - were pegged back to 197 all out at the hands of Morris once the spinner was introduced into the Thunder attack in the 30th over.

By contrast Ballinger did significant early damage by taking the first four Thunder wickets but the rest of The Blaze attack combined to bowl Thunder out for 173 in the 46th over despite a hard hitting unbeaten 53 by Tara Norris to clinch a vital victory.

The Blaze made a good start after being put in to bat with Sarah Bryce and Michaela Kirk laying a good foundation of 66 runs off 87 balls. But both openers fell in quick succession. Sarah Bryce was caught at mid-off for 34 trying to hit Darcey Carter, making her Thunder debut, over the top with Kirk bowled for 29 by Hannah Jones' second delivery.

And The Blaze were pegged back further when Marie Kelly edged behind for 7 off the first ball of Phoebe Graham's second spell to leave the visitors 101 for 3 in the 24th over.

Kathryn Bryce and Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast rallied with a 34-run alliance off 45 balls before the introduction of Morris transformed the innings as wickets tumbled.

The Thunder off-spinner struck with a 17-ball sequence of 3 for 6 that began with her fourth delivery that Kathryn Bryce cut to Norris at gully for 31.

Having made an attractive 29 off 34 balls, Prendergast fell lbw sweeping at Morris, as did Lucy Higham for 4.

Hannah Jones returned to take her competition-leading 22nd wicket when Kirstie Gordon drove to Eve Jones at extra cover for 4 before Morris ran through the rest of The Blaze line-up in spectacular style bowling Ella Claridge for 6, having Grace Ballinger lbw for 6 and Cassidy McCarthy caught for 8 with The Blaze losing their last seven wickets for 62 runs.

It was Ballinger who did the early damage with an impressive spell of left-arm swing that returned figures of 4 for 13 to destroy the Thunder top order, having Eve Jones caught at mid-off for 0, Alice Clarke caught at cover for 8 followed by Morris (10) and Dani Collins (0) bowled in the space of three deliveries.

But having completed seven overs Ballinger limped off injured to be replaced by Prendergast who struck immediately with her sixth delivery which Seren Smale cut savagely but straight to Kirk at point for 13 with the Thunder innings in disarray at 41 for 5 after 15 overs.

Ellie Threlkeld pulled a short ball from Prendergast to Higham at deep backward square for 10, Carter was bowled by McCarthy for 11 before Grace Johnson holed out to Kirk off Groves for 27 as Thunder continued to struggle.

Ballinger returned in time to see Groves trap Graham lbw for 5 but a defiant last-wicket partnership of 50 - the highest of the Thunder innings - between Norris, who hit three sixes in a List A career-best 53 not out off 56 balls, and Hannah Jones, who finally fell to Kathryn Bryce for 17, held up The Blaze who eventually wrapped up victory with 26 balls to spare.