After opting to bat first at Trent Bridge in the Women’s T20 Blast 2026, Somerset Women looked to lay a solid foundation but found it difficult to build sustained momentum against a disciplined The Blaze bowling attack. Openers Rebecca Odgers and captain Sophie Luff began cautiously before the first breakthrough arrived at 18/1 in 2.5 overs, when Grace Ballinger dismissed Odgers for a brisk 13 off 11 balls, featuring three boundaries.
Somerset suffered another setback shortly afterwards as Sophie Luff managed only 6 from 12 deliveries, becoming Charley Phillips’ first victim at 31/2 in 4.5 overs. Anika Learoyd attempted to counterattack with an entertaining 23 off 19 balls, striking four fours, while Niamh Holland added 2, but the latter was removed by Charli Knott after Somerset slipped to 41/3 in 6.6 overs.
Learoyd’s stay also ended soon after when Josie Groves claimed her wicket at 47/4 in 7.6 overs, preventing Somerset from capitalising during the powerplay. The early wickets ensured The Blaze remained firmly in control despite a few aggressive strokes from the visitors.
Somerset’s innings found stability through an important middle-order partnership between Charlie Dean and Alex Griffiths. Dean anchored the innings superbly with a composed 41 off 32 balls, hitting five boundaries, while Griffiths contributed 7 from 11 deliveries. Together, they added 15 runs for the fifth wicket before Griffiths fell at 62/5 in 10.6 overs, caught by Georgia Elwiss off Josie Groves. Dean then stitched together another useful stand of 16 runs with Jess Hazell, who scored 10 from 16 balls, helping Somerset cross the 100-run mark.
However, Lucy Higham broke the partnership by dismissing Dean for the innings’ highest score at 106/6 in 17.2 overs, ending Somerset’s best resistance. Hazell was then dismissed for 10, making it 107/7 in 17.5 overs, while Chloe Skelton added 4 before becoming the eighth wicket at 116/8 in 19.5 overs. Olivia Barnes remained unbeaten on 6, alongside Lola Harris, who finished 2 not out, as Somerset concluded their innings on 118/8 in 20 overs.
The Blaze’s bowlers shared the workload impressively and rarely allowed Somerset to dominate. Grace Ballinger set the tone with 1/18 from three overs, while Charley Phillips delivered an economical spell of 1/10 in two overs. Charli Knott once again contributed with the ball, returning 1/19 from four overs, and Josie Groves made key middle-order breakthroughs to finish with 1/25 in three overs.
Lucy Higham was the standout with 2/6 from two overs, while Kirstie Gordon remained economical with 1/22 in four overs, and Kathryn Bryce conceded 16 runs in two overs despite going wicketless. Their collective discipline restricted Somerset to a below-par total, setting up a comfortable chase.
Needing 119 for victory, The Blaze endured an early wobble when Marie Kelly struck a boundary before falling for 4 off just three balls, trapped lbw by Charlie Dean with the score on 4/1 after only 0.3 overs. Somerset struck again almost immediately as Dean removed Kathryn Bryce for a duck, leaving The Blaze under pressure at 5/2 in 0.5 overs.
Sarah Bryce then steadied the innings with a patient 29 from 33 deliveries, adding a crucial 87-run partnership for the third wicket alongside the outstanding Charli Knott. The pair gradually wrestled control away from Somerset, with Bryce rotating the strike while Knott dominated the scoring. Bryce’s innings ended at 92/3 in 12.2 overs, caught by Lola Harris off Charlie Dean, but by then the required target was well within reach.
Charli Knott ensured there were no further scares with a magnificent unbeaten 63 off just 43 balls, smashing nine fours at an impressive strike rate of 146.51. She received excellent support from Emma Jones, who played a quick cameo of 15 not out from only five deliveries, including a boundary and a six. Their unbroken 30-run fourth-wicket partnership wrapped up the chase in emphatic fashion as The Blaze reached 122/3 in just 14.2 overs, sealing a convincing seven-wicket victory with 34 balls remaining.
Somerset’s bowling effort revolved around Charlie Dean, who produced an excellent spell of 3/24 from four overs, claiming all three wickets to briefly put The Blaze under pressure. Alex Griffiths conceded 9 runs in one over, while Chloe Skelton returned 0/22 from two overs. Erin Vukusic struggled for control, finishing with 0/17 in 1.2 overs, and Olivia Barnes bowled economically with 0/25 from three overs. Niamh Holland gave away 14 runs in two overs, while Lola Harris conceded 11 from one over, but none could stop Knott’s commanding innings.
Loves all things female cricket