Southern Vipers crush The Blaze to advance to Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final

The Blaze started the day in pole position for automatic qualification but slumped to 162 all out while chasing 289 against Southern Vipers

Loughborough: Southern Vipers 288, The Blaze 162 - Southern Vipers won by 126 runs

Southern Vipers booked their spot in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final with a crushing 126-run victory over The Blaze, who had topped the table for the majority of the season.

It wasn't as simple as winner takes all in this top-of-the-table clash in Loughborough. The Blaze started the day in pole position for automatic qualification and after bowling the Vipers out for 288, passing 231 would have been enough to retain top spot, even in defeat.

But the East Midlands side simply had no answer to Vipers, skittled out for 162 to slump to their third successive defeat.

^{Maia Bouchier was one of three Vipers batters to score a half-century [Tony Marshall/Getty Images]}

Batting first on an overcast morning with the dew still fresh on the outfield, it felt important to win the toss and bowl, which is what The Blaze captain, Kirstie Gordon, did.

Kathryn Bryce and Grace Ballinger enjoyed the early swing and kept Vipers' top order quiet. Ballinger made the early breakthrough in the second over, trapping Ella McCaughan lbw for a nine-ball duck.

The experience of Georgia Adams  (40) and Maia Bouchier (68) steadied the innings; the pair added 102 for the second wicket and rarely looked in any bother.

Though they fell within a few overs of each other, Georgia Elwiss (64) and Emily Windsor (52) continued the assault. 

^{Grace Ballinger picked up four wickets for The Blaze [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

Elwiss' dismissal, caught by Josie Groves off Kathryn Bryce in the 45th over, proved a turning point, with the final five Vipers wickets falling for just 23 runs to give The Blaze hope heading into their chase. Ballinger accounted for Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith and Rhianna Southby to finish with figures of 4 for 58.

In reply, Marie Kelly made a bright 56 (62) and shared a 67-run second-wicket stand with Sarah Bryce to get The Blaze off to a positive start but her departure in the 19th over proved the beginning of the end.

Kathryn Bryce (36) and Ella Claridge (23) were the only players outside the top three to reach double figures and the final five wickets fell for just 10 runs as The Blaze finished the regular season with a whimper.

Mary Taylor was the pick of the Vipers attack, taking 3 for 15.

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