A notable all-round display from Australian allrounder Charli Knott helped The Blaze warm up for Friday’s Vitality Blast Finals Day with a helter-skelter three-wicket victory over Yorkshire in their last group-stage game at Headingley.

Last year’s semi-finalists had already qualified for the Kia Oval showpiece but clinched their eighth win in 12 games thanks to bowling the hosts out for 122 and recovering from 41 for 5 in the eighth over of their chase.

Left-arm swing bowler Grace Ballinger returned 3 for 31, while Charley Phillips and Kirstie Gordon struck twice apiece added to two run-outs. But Knott’s miserly one for 19 from four overs of offspin was followed up by a brilliant and composed career best 84 not out off 57 balls.

Yorkshire had three batters make 23 and captain Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scoring with 29 as they missed the chance to claim a fourth straight win. Academy leg-spinner Holly Garton impressed with 2 for 17 as The Blaze won with five balls remaining.

Seamer Phillips got Ami Campbell caught at midwicket in the opening over, and Yorkshire fell to 89 for 4 in the 13th over having elected to bat.

Jess Jonassen hit two eye-catching boundaries down the ground off Ballinger but fell for 23 to the last ball of the powerplay when chipping Gordon’s left-arm spin to mid-on. Opener Erin Thomas later miscued Ballinger to mid-off, also on 23, before captain Winfield-Hill was lbw to her Queensland team-mate Knott.

Yorkshire were then plunged into big trouble when Sarah Glenn and Alice Clarke fell in the 16th over, leaving the score at 104 for 6. Glenn was caught at deep backward square leg pulling at Phillips and Clarke run out.

Gordon struck again as The Blaze tightened the screw before three wickets fell in Ballinger’s last over of the innings, including another run-out. She bowled Sterre Kalis for 23 and Jess Woolston.

Yorkshire opened the bowling with spin and gave themselves hope by reducing The Blaze to 24 for 4 inside five overs. Sarah Bryce was caught behind to a turning delivery from teenaged legspinner Garton, who struck with her first ball for the second game running before adding the scalp of Marie Kelly caught at mid-on. Sandwiched in between, Jonassen bowled Kathryn Bryce.

England’s Glenn trapped Georgia Elwiss lbw with her legspin. But Knott, in at No. 4, hit four of her first six balls to the boundary. And her presence proved key, despite losing Emma Jones bowled pulling at Woolston’s seam – 41 for 5 in the eighth.

When Knott reached her fifty in 36 balls, The Blaze were 72 for 5 in the 14th over and she had impressive captain Gordon for company. The sixth-wicket pair chipped away at the target rather than raced to it, sharing 75.

Gordon contributed 24 before falling as one of two quick wickets. With four to win off Hannah Rainey in the last over, Knott hit the winning boundary off the first ball.