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The Blaze thump Durham by 10 wickets to win Women’s T20 Blast
The Blaze won their first Women's T20 Blast title with a dominant 10-wicket victory over Durham in the final at The Oval, capping a day in which they also thrashed Surrey in the semi-final. Tammy Beaumont, who retired from England duty earlier in the summer, was named player of the match after top-scoring with 54, while the result underlined the gulf in strength between the two finalists and marked a first Blast triumph for the Nottingham-based side.
Put in to bat, Durham lost captain Hollie Armitage in the fourth ball of the innings and struggled to 117-8 on a slow Oval surface, with Charli Knott (2-25) and skipper Kirstie Gordon (3-21) among the wicket-takers. Knott, named player of the tournament with 404 runs and 27 wickets, took six victims across the day. In reply, Beaumont and Sarah Bryce shared an unbroken opening stand of 118, with Bryce finishing on 53 not out, as The Blaze cruised home with more than six overs to spare. Durham, who won just five of 14 games last season, will nonetheless take encouragement from reaching the final after also beating Hampshire in the semis.
In short
- The Blaze beat Durham by 10 wickets to win the Women's T20 Blast.
- Tammy Beaumont (54) and Sarah Bryce (53*) shared unbroken 118-run opening stand.
- Charli Knott named player of the tournament with 404 runs, 27 wickets.
Explained simply
The Women's T20 Blast is England's domestic cricket championship for women, featuring eight regional teams competing each summer for the title. T20 is the shortest form of cricket, where each team bats for a maximum of 20 overs and matches typically last around three hours. The tournament brings together professional and semi-professional cricketers from across the English regions.
The Blaze represent Nottinghamshire, one of the eight franchises in the competition. Teams compete in a league format during the summer months, followed by a knockout stage that culminates in the final, held at a major venue.
Winning the Blast is a significant achievement for any franchise in the competition. The title is considered one of the most prestigious honours in English women's domestic cricket, with the final attracting substantial interest from supporters and media coverage.