Stumps: Blaze carry on rich vein of form to put distance between them and chasing pack

With their first block of games now complete, The Blaze sit comfortably top of the table, nine points clear of today’s opponents, Hampshire.

On a pitch that had already been used twice this season for Blaze games, the going was difficult for most batters. Once players were in, though, scoring became easier, with both teams relying on decent partnerships to steady their progress. Hampshire’s total relied on a third-wicket partnership of 116 between Ella McCaughan and captain Georgia Adams.

That came after a difficult start, when The Blaze’s opening bowlers, Grace Ballinger and Charley Phillips, bowled tight lines. It was Phillips who made the early breakthroughs, trapping Rhianna Southby lbw and bowling Abi Norgrove in her first over of the game.