Bryce sisters demolish Essex to book Blaze's final spot

Treble-chasing The Blaze booked their place in the Metro Bank Women's One-Day Cup final as a nine-wicket bonus point victory over Essex at Chesterfield clinched top spot in the points table.

They were dislodged as leaders when they were beaten by Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday but, with Hampshire having completed their fixtures, needed only to avoid defeat against bottom-of-the-table Essex to regain the advantage.

They did so in some comfort, needing only 19.1 overs to chase down a modest target of 160 to win after sisters Sarah and Kathryn Bryce shared an unbroken stand of 132 against an Essex attack rarely able to cause either any problems.

Skipper Grace Scrivens anchored the Essex innings with a fine 70 but with Sophie Smale's 20 the next-highest score her side were all out for 159 in 45.4 overs, Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon taking 3 for 25, with two wickets each for Kathryn Bryce, Lucy Higham and Cassidy McCarthy.

Hampshire will face the winners of Saturday's clash between Surrey Women and Somerset in an eliminator round next Wednesday, the winner of which will take on The Blaze - who have already lifted silverware in the Blast and Vitality T20 County Cup - at the Utilita Bowl in the Metro Bank final on September 19.

After The Blaze had elected to bowl first, Bryony Gilgrass, Essex's 19-year-old opener, played some pleasing shots as she and Scrivens sought to profit in the powerplay before McCarthy skidded one through to trap her in front, the seamer picking up a second wicket quickly when Jodi Grewcock cut straight to backward point.

Smale despatched McCarthy for back-to-back boundaries but was leg before on the back foot to Higham, the offspinner following it up having Jo Gardner caught off a top edge into the leg side.

Having been 80 for 2, Essex slipped further to 89 for 6 as left-arm spinner Gordon had Mollie Adams, another 19-year-old, leg before playing back and Kathryn Bryce entered the attack to bowl Liberty Heap.

Sophie Munro supported Scrivens in a 41-run partnership but their good work was undone when an aborted run on a misfield ended with Munro run out.

Scotland international Gordon held a diving return catch to remove Esmae MacGregor before Scriven's 116-ball effort ended with a bottom-edge into the stumps. Kathryn Bryce wrapped up the Essex innings in the 46th over as Abtaha Maqsood holed out to long-on.

In reply, the Blaze suffered an early setback when MacGregor produced one excellent delivery in an otherwise untidy opening spell, bowling former England international Tammy Beaumont with one that came back to clip the top of off stump.

But that was the only glimmer of optimism for the visitors as the Scotland international pair were ruthless in their punishment of some fairly ordinary bowling.

Sarah Bryce hammered 10 fours, Kathryn 12 fours and a six, including the winning boundary with a massive 185 balls to spare.