Mady Villiers shone with bat and ball as Durham made it three wins from four in the Vitality Blast women’s competition, beating The Blaze by seven wickets at Trent Bridge.

The 27-year-old England international claimed 3 for 21 with her offspin as The Blaze were bowled out for 153, before striking 47 from 34 balls as Durham eased home with five balls to spare.

Her innings was ended by a stunning boundary catch by England’s Tammy Beaumont but her part in an opening stand of 83 with skipper Hollie Armitage, who went on to make an unbeaten 50 off 47 balls, gave Durham just the platform they needed to inflict a first defeat of the season on The Blaze, with Bess Heath also in the runs, hitting 36 from 18 balls.

Georgia Elwiss, on her 35th birthday, top scored for The Blaze with 31 from 24 balls and skipper Marie Kelly hit 28 from 15 but 153 always looked tough to defend.

Yet, after being asked to bat first, The Blaze had flown out of the blocks in their innings. Kelly and Beaumont plundered 40 from the first 26 deliveries.

But both fell before the end of the powerplay as Beaumont dragged an attempted sweep into her stumps and Kelly’s uppercut failed to clear short third.

Trudy Johnson began her third over by giving away five wides twice followed by two boundaries but it ended with Australian allrounder Charli Knott lobbing straight to mid-on, at which point The Blaze had a healthy 75 on the board from seven overs but had lost three key batters.

Runs became much harder to find for The Blaze. When they tried to accelerate, Ella Claridge was bowled playing a conventional sweep and Elwiss caught on the reverse. Emma Jones added a handy 24 from 13 balls but was bowled by former Blaze allrounder Heather Graham, who then had debutant Prisha Thanawala caught at backward point.

Villiers dismissed Georgie Boyce and Grace Ballinger after Lucy Higham had been caught at mid-on, The Blaze leaving themselves with 153 to defend.

Emerging from the powerplay at 52 without loss, Durham remained in full control of the chase at 82 from 10 overs with both openers still there.

They suffered a double setback in the 11th, Villiers denied her half-century by a sensational catch at deep midwicket by Beaumont off Jones, who then bowled Emily Windsor for a four-ball duck.

But Heath quickly had them back on track, her rapid-fire knock including five fours and a six high over Beaumont’s head off Maria Andrews, the left-arm spinner who was also making her Blaze debut. Legspinner Josie Groves and new-ball bowler Charley Phillips were missing through injury.

The last five overs arrived with Durham needing 30 and though Heath soon departed to a catch in the deep, Armitage and Graham kept the board moving so that just two were needed off the final over, Graham needing only one ball more to get the job done with a four off Elwiss.