Bears inflict first loss on Blaze, Essex cruise to win
The match in Birmingham was a meeting of two in-form sides with both having won their previous three games.Bears opted to bat and made a fine start as Meg Austin and Davina Perrin put on 59 for the first wicket.But Netherlands batter Kalis played the anchor innings with 54 off 41 balls to set up the total, despite a fine 4-21 from Kathryn Bryce for the visitors.Bryce and Tammy Beaumont had put on 49 in six overs for The Blaze's second wicket, but when Bryce fell to Millie Taylor, the momentum shifted, especially when Beaumont was out for 44 in the following over.From there, Sarah Bryce battled to 32, but The Blaze could not build any significant partnerships and ended well short of their target.
Essex got on top from the start against Durham as they reduced their hosts to 17-4 inside four overs, with two wickets each for Kate Coppack and Esmae MacGregor, the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 18.Captain Hollie Armitage held the innings together as she finished 47 not out, but she lacked any real support as Durham only just got past three figures.Having to score at a little more than five an over, Essex immediately got ahead of the run-rate and despite losing a few wickets were never in too much trouble, even at 71-4.And Maddie Penna and Jodi Grewcock put on an unbeaten 34 to complete the job and end a four-game losing streak as Essex climb to fifth.Durham remain seventh after suffering their sixth loss in eight games.
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