Blaze edge home in last over against Bears Women in T20

The Blaze maintained their perfect start to the Vitality Blast campaign with a solid four-wicket victory over struggling Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston. 

It is three wins out of three for the East Midlands side after they bowled with discipline to restrict the Bears to 158 for eight. Openers Abi Freeborn (56, 45 balls) and Meg Austin (44, 31) added 95 but wickets fell freely thereafter against an attack led by former Bears seamer Grace Ballinger (three for 24) and Lucy Higham (two for 16). 

The Blaze then reached 159 for six with four balls to spare thanks to Marie Kelly, another ex-Bear, who scored 45 (32) at the start and a robust unbeaten 27 (16) from Emma Jones at the end. Amu Surenkumar took two for 19. The Blaze have started the Blast on fire but Warwickshire, finalists last season, are bottom of the table after three straight defeats sustained by a squad stretched to the limit by injuries and international calls.