England’s Tammy Beaumont hit a magnificent 81 to lead The Blaze to a seven-wicket win over Durham in the Vitality Blast despite the best efforts of Suzie Bates.
Durham were put into bat and lost an early wicket during their innings but Bates (77), who was well supported by Bess Heath (45), inspired them to 188 for five, their highest T20 total.
The chase of 189 got off to a bad start for The Blaze but the returning Beaumont, who combined with Kathryn Bryce (39) for a second wicket partnership worth 118, supercharged the innings with a dominant performance and the visitors notched up the fourth win of their T20 campaign.
The Blaze put Durham in to bat at a sun-soaked Banks Homes Riverside and got off to a good start as Cassidy McCarthy got Leah Dobson for six, with the opener caught on the legside boundary.
Bates started well, showing plenty of aggression and she played a lovely shot on the offside for four off the bowling of McCarthy. The former New Zealand captain then hit Kirstie Gordon for three fours in her first over.
The hosts reached 50 in the powerplay and Mady Villiers played a lovely shot, lofting a Kathryn Bryce ball to the boundary.
Villiers continued to motor as she swept a Gordon ball to the fence, but she didn’t last much longer with Sarah Glenn getting her for 36 after she went for one hit too many and was caught on the legside boundary.
Glenn struck again for The Blaze, bowling Durham skipper Hollie Armitage for eight, but Bates reached her half-century off 37 balls soon after.
Bates then took a liking to the bowling of Georgia Elwiss as she hit her for back-to-back boundaries and Heath followed that up with two fours of her own.
The Blaze pulled it back for a period, but Bates heaved a Kathryn Bryce ball to the legside boundary for four and Heath followed that up with an inventive scoop.
Heath’s swashbuckling knock came to an end for 45, with Kathryn Bryce getting her and Bates fell for 77 two balls later, but they got Durham to 188 for five, their record T20 total.
The Blaze’s chase of 189 got off to the worst possible start as Marie Kelly cut a Lauren Filer delivery straight to Sophia Turner at deep backward point, who produced a great catch.
However, England opener Beaumont started well as she played a delightful shot through the onside for four.
She backed that up with one that she whipped off her legs for four and she continued to motor as her side went to 50 in the powerplay.
Beaumont then hit her first maximum of the innings as she heaved a Katherine Fraser delivery down the ground and she followed that up with a second, smashing a Katie Levick delivery over the long-off boundary which got her to fifty off 31 balls.
Kathryn Bryce then joined in as she smashed a Villiers ball over the ropes and The Blaze went past three figures.
Durham struck back with two huge wickets as Phoebe Turner bowled Kathryn Bryce for a well made 39 and Beaumont followed soon after as Levick got her for 81.
Elwiss and Heather Graham joined forces in the middle and Graham hit three consecutive boundaries from Villiers to relieve some pressure.
Elwiss then launched a Sophia Turner ball for six down the ground and along with Graham she guided the visitors home with one over to spare.