Lancashire Thunder v The Blaze, Vitality Blast

Lancashire 0 points, The Blaze 4 points

By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay.

England Test opener Tammy Beaumont won the battle of two key innings with former Australia captain Meg Lanning as The Blaze successfully chased 163 against Lancashire Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford to win their second successive Vitality Blast match, this by three wickets with three balls remaining.

Lanning posted a fabulous 81 not out off 49 balls to help Thunder recover from early trouble - 33-4 - to total 162 for five. She shared an unbroken 100 in 9.5 overs for the sixth wicket with Ailsa Lister, 39 not out.

In reply, Beaumont raced away on a true pitch. She had 45 out of 53 for one after six overs but couldn’t go on. Her departure for 54 off 29 balls sparked a collapse from 76 for one in the eighth over to 100 for five after 12.

But wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce’s resourceful 32 off 22 went a long way to ensuring last year’s semi-finalists held their nerve to back up Friday’s win over Yorkshire. Lancashire, meanwhile, have now lost two from two.

Lancashire all-rounder Fi Morris said

“It’s just a frustrating one, really. I felt like we bounced back really well through Meg and Ailsa with the bat at the back end there after a little bit of a tough start. We did really well to get to the total that we did.

“I felt like it was a good game of cricket, and we stayed in it all the way until pretty much the last ball.

“So, disappointing not to get over the line but lots of positives I think.

“The scores are going up every year in the women's game and the Blast, but it's traditionally fairly low-scoring here with quite a big boundary, not the quickest outfield and usually a little bit in it, especially the spinners.

“We thought we had a good total there, but it was probably a game which was the story of our season. I don't think we've been blown away at all in any game, but we haven't had the start that we really wanted.”