Bears' Sterre Kalis has had two half-centuries in seven innings in this season's T20 Blast Bears inflicted a first defeat on The Blaze in the Women's T20 Blast as they enjoyed a 25-run victory at Edgbaston. After winning the toss, the hosts batted first and reached 172-6 with Sterre Kalis top scoring with 54. In reply, The Blaze slipped from 71-1 to 83-4, and with Em Arlott claiming three wickets, they could only manage 147-8 as Bears leapfrogged them into second in the table. Essex romped to a comfortable six-wicket success over Durham at Chester-le-Street. They restricted their hosts to a meagre 101-8 off their 20 overs before reaching their target with three overs to spare. The match in Birmingham was a meeting of two in-form sides with both having won their previous three games. Bears opted to bat and made a fine start as Meg Austin and Davina Perrin put on 59 for the first wicket. But Netherlands batter Kalis played the anchor innings with 54 off 41 balls to set up the total, despite a fine 4-21 from Kathryn Bryce for the visitors. Bryce and Tammy Beaumont had put on 49 in six overs for The Blaze's second wicket, but when Bryce fell to Millie Taylor, the momentum shifted, especially when Beaumont was out for 44 in the following over. From there, Sarah Bryce battled to 32, but The Blaze could not build any significant partnerships and ended well short of their target. Esmae MacGregor, 20, has taken a total of 18 wickets for Essex in the Women's T20 Blast this season Essex got on top from the start against Durham as they reduced their hosts to 17-4 inside four overs, with two wickets each for Kate Coppack and Esmae MacGregor, the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 18. Captain Hollie Armitage held the innings together as she finished 47 not out, but she lacked any real support as Durham only just got past three figures. Having to score at a little more than five an over, Essex immediately got ahead of the run-rate and despite losing a few wickets were never in too much trouble, even at 71-4. And Maddie Penna and Jodi Grewcock put on an unbeaten 34 to complete the job and end a four-game losing streak as Essex climb to fifth. Durham remain seventh after suffering their sixth loss in eight games.
Bears inflict first loss on Blaze, Essex cruise to win
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Bears Hand Blaze First Loss in Women's T20 Blast; Essex Defeats Durham"
Bbc News
8.8
TruthLens AI Summary
In a thrilling encounter at Edgbaston, the Bears claimed a significant 25-run victory over The Blaze, marking the latter's first defeat in this season's Women's T20 Blast. After winning the toss, the Bears opted to bat first and set a challenging total of 172 for six, with standout performances from Sterre Kalis, who scored 54 runs off 41 balls, and a solid opening partnership of 59 runs between Meg Austin and Davina Perrin. The Blaze, despite a promising start with Kathryn Bryce and Tammy Beaumont contributing 49 runs for the second wicket, faltered dramatically as the innings progressed. Em Arlott's impressive bowling performance, where she took three key wickets, helped the Bears restrict The Blaze to 147 for eight, allowing the Bears to leapfrog them in the standings and secure second place in the table.
Meanwhile, Essex enjoyed a dominant six-wicket victory over Durham at Chester-le-Street, showcasing their bowling prowess by limiting Durham to just 101 runs in their 20 overs. The Essex bowlers, led by Kate Coppack and Esmae MacGregor, who took two wickets each, dismantled the Durham batting lineup, reducing them to a perilous 17 for four early in the match. Durham's captain, Hollie Armitage, managed to hold the innings together with a resilient 47 not out, but lacked significant support from her teammates. Chasing a modest target, Essex maintained control throughout the innings, comfortably surpassing the required run rate and concluding the match with three overs to spare. This victory ended a four-game losing streak for Essex, lifting them to fifth place in the standings, while Durham's struggles continued, marking their sixth loss in eight matches.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.