Report: The Blaze vs Bears Women, Vitality Blast

Bears Women and The Blaze shared the points after opening their Vitality Blast Women season with a tie at Trent Bridge.

Charis Pavely, who hit a career-best 46, shared a 75-run partnership with Katie George (36) as Bears Women finished on 160 for eight from 20 overs.

Kathryn Bryce, who top-scored with 60, and Georgia Elwiss (52) looked to have set the home side – who were the final 20-over champions in the regional women’s professional game – on course to open with a victory.

But, needing nine off the last over, bowled by England seamer Issy Wong, they were able to manage only eight, crucially losing Sarah Bryce, who had hit 27 from 18 balls, to a slower ball off the penultimate delivery.

Bears opted to bat and clocked up a respectable 45 in the powerplay, losing two wickets as Abbey Freeborn was beaten by Maddy Green’s pinpoint throw as she chanced a legside single, before Davina Perrin was caught at extra cover.

More casualties swiftly followed as the dangerous Wong was well taken at extra cover off Georgia Elwiss and Kalis was bowled by Kirstie Gordon.

But from 61 for four, the Pavely-George partnership gave the innings much-needed substance, England Under-19 all-rounder Pavely surviving an early chance on four to lead the way as the fifth-wicket pair added 75 from 55 balls, hitting five fours and a sweetly-timed six over midwicket off Elwiss before she was bowled by Gordon, sweeping.

Explosive Aussie batter Laura Harris clubbed Elwiss for another six but was caught at short fine leg without adding to it, Amu Surenkumar was bowled by Kathryn Bryce and George was run out off the last ball as Bears set The Blaze 161 to win.

Marie Kelly, bowled by seamer Surenkumar, fell in the third over of the chase, but The Blaze were 43 from six overs without further loss and were well placed at 71 for one at the halfway stage.

They were proving increasingly costly as the experienced second-wicket pair began to accelerate, the frustration for Bears compounded as Elwiss had an escape on 45 before completing a ninth career half-century in this format from 36 balls.

The partnership moved into three figures in the same over. Elwiss was bowled going down the track to Pavely’s left-arm spin. Joined in the middle by sister Sarah, Kathryn Bryce completed her fifty from 44 balls, but with 26 still needed from 18 balls, a tight finish was in the offing.

It came down to nine off the last over and four off four balls after Sarah Bryce had picked off a fourth boundary in 17 balls but with two needed from two Bryce miscued to be caught at mid-off and Green was run out going for a second off the last ball, leaving the match tied.

Charis Pavely said: ““Although we didn’t manage to get the win, I was really happy with the way we played, it was the way we want to play our cricket.

“As the standard gets better across the women’s game in the tier system, I think we are going to see more ties and more close games.

“When they batted, it was about limiting the boundaries. They needed nine an over so it was just about staying tight and bowling to our fields. There were ebbs and flows in the game

“Me and Katie complement each other with the way we bat. We enjoy batting together and it was nice to show what we can do.”