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Tammy Beaumont starred as The Blaze produced a dominant display to claim their first Women’s T20 Blast title, thrashing Durham by 10 wickets at The Oval.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 35-year-old who retired from international cricket with England earlier this summer,<\/a> made 54 as she shared an unbroken opening partnership of 118 with Sarah Bryce who scored her first half-century of the tournament, finishing unbeaten on 53.<\/p>\n Having disposed of Surrey in the day’s opening semi-final,<\/a> Kirstie Gordon’s side were always in control against a Durham team who had scored a surprise victory over Hampshire Hawks<\/a> in the last four.<\/p>\n After being put in to bat, Durham lost captain Hollie Armitage to left-armer Grace Ballinger to the fourth ball of their innings and never recovered on a slow surface which made run-scoring difficult against The Blaze’s battery of slower bowlers.<\/p>\n Australian all-rounder Heather Graham backed-up her 35 against Hampshire with 30 from 23 balls but her dismissal looked crucial and, despite useful knocks of 20 from both Grace Thompson and Emily Windsor a total of 117-8 proved well below par.<\/p>\n Tournament top wicket-taker Charli Knott claimed 2-25 with Gordon taking 3-21, although they were poorly supported in the field with five catches going to ground, albeit they did not prove costly.<\/p>\n With little room for error, Lauren Filer promptly served up two wides from her opening three deliveries of the reply and neither Beaumont or Bryce offered a sniff of a chance as they strolled to victory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n