The Blaze beat Surrey by seven wickets to win the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup at Old Trafford on Saturday. Kathryn Bryce took four wickets with the ball and then scored an unbeaten 38 to seal the win, which added a second trophy to the T20 Blast title the team won in July.
Bryce’s Bowling and Batting Seal the Final
Surrey batted first after being put in and posted 91 for 8 in their 13 overs. Kira Chathli top-scored with 25 off 23 balls, but Kathryn Bryce took 4 for 18 with the ball, including figures of 4 for 8 before Alice Davidson-Richards hit 10 runs off the last three balls of the innings. Sarah Bryce, Kathryn’s younger sister and the team’s wicketkeeper, ran out Chathli and added a catch during the innings.
The Blaze chased down the target with six balls to spare. Emma Jones scored 22 off 14 balls at the top of the order, and Georgia Elwiss put on 40 runs with Kathryn Bryce in four overs for the third wicket. Bryce finished unbeaten on 38 off 30 balls and was joined by her sister for the winning run, a result that earned her the player of the match award.
Rain Reduces Semi-Finals to Five Overs Each
Heavy rain fell through the day at Emirates Old Trafford, and play did not start until 4:50 pm local time. Ground staff had prepared the indoor school for bowl-outs, but regulations introduced in 2024 restrict that method to semi-finals only, not the final. Once the rain broke, officials cut both semi-finals to five overs a side to leave enough time for the final, which began at 7:45 pm.
The Blaze beat Essex by nine wickets in the first semi-final. Essex scored 44 for 3, with Kathryn MacLeod unbeaten on 18, and The Blaze reached the target inside 3.3 overs. Surrey then beat Somerset by two runs in the second semi-final. Bryony Smith scored 25 off seven balls as Surrey posted 62 for 2, and Somerset fell short on 60 for 6 despite Bex Odgers’ 29 off 12 balls, and needed four runs off the last ball to win.
Blaze Eye Domestic Treble After Second Trophy
The Blaze currently top the Metro Bank One Day Cup table, and Saturday’s win puts them on course for a third trophy this season. Speaking after the match, Kathryn Bryce said the team had targeted the one-day title next. “It’s really great to have the two T20 trophies, and it sets us up really well to go for the Metro Bank,” she said. “It was a fantastic final for us, the way we bowled and restricted them, in the field as well. In any format they play, we know Surrey will be really aggressive. We’ve been clear on our plans, and taking wickets is always the key.”
She also credited Jones for her contribution across both games on finals day. “The way Jonesy played in both games was fantastic. She put us ahead of the rate and made it easier for the rest of us coming in.”
Surrey, runners-up in the competition’s first edition in 2025, lost their second final in as many years after falling to Lancashire the previous year.
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