The Blaze secured their place in the Metro Bank Women’s One-Day Cup knockout stage with a 70-run victory over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The Blaze totalled a meaty 282 for 7 thanks to Orla Prendergast‘s 69 from 73 balls, a Georgia Elwiss half-century and Kathryn Bryce‘s 45. England fast-bowler Issy Wong took 5 for 58.

Warwickshire were well-placed at 148 for 2 in the 30th over but fell away to 212 all out in 43.3 overs. Skipper Katie George scored an excellent 89 and Brooke Halliday 52 but Lucy Higham took 4 for 41 while Charley Phillips produced the match-winning bowling effort with 8-2-17-1.

The Blaze’s eleventh victory from 13 games keeps their powerhouse season very much on track. Warwickshire’s defeat keeps them deep in the congested pack chasing a top-four finish for qualification.

Put in, The Blaze lost former Warwickshire favourite Marie Kelly in the first over when she sliced Wong to third. The batters made sedate progress at first, just three fours coming in the first ten overs, but Tammy Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce added 80 in 17 overs before Phoebe Brett dismissed both in 12 balls. Beaumont edged an attempted cut to wicketkeeper Nat Wraith and Bryce skied to mid-off.

Elwiss and Prendergast supplied acceleration, reaching half-centuries from 54 and 64 balls respectively. They added 93 in 18 overs before Wong removed them both, Elwiss caught behind and Prendergast well taken at deep square by Halliday, A late cameo from Emma Jones, with 19 not out from 12 balls, lifted the total towards 300.

Former Warwickshire seamer Grace Ballinger then struck two early blows against her former team-mates, removing both openers. Davina Perrin was as plum lbw as a batter can be and Meg Austin edged a big drive to slip. George and Halliday responded with a well-judged partnership of 125 in 22 overs which took the match into its final quarter finely balanced.

Halliday had just reached a 64-ball half-century when she pulled Pendergast to deep midwicket where Kathryn Bryce’s fine catch denied the batter a six. Charis Pavely soon perished in similar fashion, this time pouched by Higham.

George needed another partner but Em Arlott, having hit three fours in a Kirstie Gordon over, lifted Phillips to mid-off and Higham added three wickets in nine balls; Wraith, caught at cover, Wong, bowled through a cut, and Alexa Stonehouse, caught at mid-on. When George drilled a return catch to Kathryn Bryce, it was game over.