The Blaze and Durham complete Finals Day line-up
Charli Knott has hit three half-centuries and taken 20 wickets in this year's T20 Blast
- Published
The Blaze and Durham have booked their places in the top four of the Women's T20 Blast and a place in Finals Day.
They will join Hampshire Hawks and Surrey at the Kia Oval on Friday, 17 July, after The Blaze's seven-wicket victory over Somerset at Trent Bridge, powered by an unbeaten 63 from Charli Knott.
That result confirmed Durham's spot, despite their 12-run loss at home to Essex at Chester-le-Street.
Hampshire confirmed first place in the league phase as they beat Warwickshire by four wickets at Edgbaston.
In the first-ever women's Roses T20 match at Emirates Old Trafford, Yorkshire got the better of Lancashire Thunder with a comfortable 29-run victory.
Somerset began the day one place and two points behind their hosts, and they decided to bat first after winning the toss.
But hopes of a big total were undermined by some tight bowling from The Blaze that left them 62-5 after 11 overs.
Charlie Dean top-scored with 41 but Somerset eventually limped to 118-8 off their 20 overs.
Dean (3-24) took two quick wickets as The Blaze slipped to 5-2 but Knott put on 87 with Sarah Bryce (29) and saw it home with 63 off 43 balls as they won with 34 balls to spare.
That victory meant Durham - in third - could not drop out of the top four whatever happened against Essex.
The visitors batted first and a strong opening stand of 94 between captain Grace Scrivens and Anneke Bosch set the platform.
Bosch fell for 48, but Scrivens carried on to hit 85 off 64 to set up a total of 162-4.
In reply, home captain Hollie Armitage made 43, but two wickets apiece for Eva Gray (2-27) and Esmae MacGregor (2-39) allowed Essex to chip away and stay in control of the innings with Durham eventually finishing on 150-6.
Georgia Adams' 53 was her top score in this season's T20 Blast
With their win over The Blaze on Wednesday, Hampshire had guaranteed their place in Finals Day and they reeled off a seventh successive victory at Edgbaston.
Already eliminated Warwickshire were asked to bat and captain Katie George led the way with 67 at the top of the order as they posted 166-5.
But the Hawks were aggressive in their chase as captain Georgia Adams smashed 53 off 29 balls to go with 2-21 off her four overs of spin. She departed to leave the score 90-4, but Nancy Harman's 49 off 26 took them to the brink, which was rounded off with an over to spare.
Hampshire are now guaranteed to finish first, while Warwickshire's T20 Blast campaign ends with nine losses from their 12 games.
Lancashire and Yorkshire were out of contention, so only Roses rivalry was at stake and Ami Campbell's fine 64 led the way while a composed 33 from Jess Jonassen helped the White Rose to post 162-6.
And when Lancashire openers Eve Jones and Meg Lanning fell quickly to leave them 14-2, home hopes started to fade.
Tilly Kesteven had to retire hurt on 28, a score matched by some late blows from the unbeaten Kate Cross, but the result was never in doubt as they finished on 133-8, with teenage leg-spinner Holly Garton claiming an impressive 3-23 as Lancashire remain rooted to the foot of the table with only one match to go.
Final group fixtures
Sunday, 12 July
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Durham (11:30 BST)
Headingley: Yorkshire v The Blaze (11:30)
The Oval: Surrey v Hampshire (14:00)
Taunton: Somerset v Essex (14:30)
