South East Stars made it two wins from two in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy, thrashing The Blaze by eight wickets at Leicester. England’s Ryana MacDonald-Gay was the star of the show with the ball, taking a career-best 5-31 as The Blaze were skittled out for just 126. Tash Farrant then led the way with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 68 to steer Stars to victory with 159 balls to spare.
MacDonald-Gay’s devastating spell of bowling reduced The Blaze to 49 for nine, but a record-breaking 10th-wicket partnership between Kirstie Gordon and Grace Ballinger saved their blushes. The pair put on 77 runs, the highest for the 10th wicket in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy’s history, to give their bowlers something to defend.
However, it wasn’t enough as Farrant and Bryony Smith put on an 82-run opening stand to set the platform for victory. Farrant went on to hit five fours and two sixes in her 81-ball innings, while Smith made a brisk 34 from 33 balls.
Scholfield was the only Blaze bowler to make a breakthrough, dismissing Smith, but Gordon took two wickets in the space of three balls to give her side a glimmer of hope. However, Farrant and Smith returned to the crease and saw Stars home with ease.
The win takes Stars to the top of the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy table, while The Blaze remain winless after two games.
