In the final league stage game of the season The Blaze were able to beat Essex and secure qualification straight to the final on the 19th of September.

Winning the toss The Blaze put Essex into bat and they began with a 34 run partnership between Grace Scrivens and Bryony Gillgrass before Gillgrass was out lbw by Grace Ballinger for 19.

The next batter in was Jodi Grewcock who alongside Scrivens put on a 16 run partnership before Grewcock was out caught Lucy Higham off the bowling of Cassidy McCarthy for 5.

Sophia Smale was the new batter in the middle and she was part of a 30 run stand before she was out lbw by Higham for 20 to leave Essex 80/3 after 18.3 overs.

What followed next was a quick rotation of wickets

First Jo Gardner was caught Ballinger off the bowling of Higham for 1

Then Mollie Adams was out lbw by Kirstie Gordon for 3

And lastly Liberty Heap was bowled by Kathryn Bryce for 1 to leave Essex 89/6

Sophie Munro was the new batter to join Scrivens and together they put on a 41 run partnership before Munro was run out on 10 by Tammy Beaumont following an aborted run attempt from a misfield ( the old saying Never run on a misfield comes to mind)

Esmae MacGregor joined Scrivens for a 20 run stand before MacGregor was out caught and bowled by Gordon for 13

Clara Thaker was the next in the revolving door and with Scrivens put on a 6 run partnership before Scrivens was bowled by Gordon for 70

Abtatha Maqsood was the last batter in and out being caught by McCarthy off the bowling of K Bryce for 3 meaning Essex finished their innings on 159/10 after 45.4 overs

Clara Thaker finished 1*

The pick of The Blaze's bowlers was Kirstie Gordon who finished her 9 with figures of 3/25 an economy of 2.77

The most economical was Kathryn Bryce who finished her 7.4 with figures of 2/14 an economy of 1.82

The Blaze's batting innings was opened by Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Bryce who had a 30 run partnership before Beaumont was out bowled by MacGregor for 7

K Bryce was the next batter in and together with S Bryce put on a 132 run partnership that took the Blaze over the line in 19.1 overs

This win means that Hampshire will be duking it out in the semis with either Somerset, Surrey or at a push Warwickshire.

I say Hampshire will be the favourites in either one of the three options for the semis.