Mady Villiers returned career-best T20 figures of 4 for 14 and Hollie Armitage made 69 not out off 47 balls to help Durham defeat the Blaze by five wickets at Bank Homes Riverside.

Villiers’s spell restricted the visitors to 147 for nine in their twenty overs, Marie Kelly top-scoring with 37, and Armitage then batted through the innings to secure a win that was sealed with four balls to spare.

The victory strengthens Durham’s chances of reaching Finals Day but is a blow to The Blaze’s hopes of reaching that showpiece in July.

The Blaze’s openers began brightly against some inaccurate medium-pace bowling and had scored 30 runs off 3.1 overs before Georgia Elwiss was bowled by Villiers for 10. Off-spinner Villiers further justified her early introduction when she dismissed Kathryn Bryce for two in her next over, Trudy Johnson making up for her loose first over by taking a fine running catch over her left shoulder at mid-off.

But Blaze continued to score freely and the score was 73 for two off 9.1 overs when Marie Kelly was dismissed by Heather Graham for 37, Sophia Turner taking the catch at long off. However, Charli Knott maintained the attack and was well-set on 29 when she pulled a filthy full toss from Villiers straight to Heather Graham at deep midwicket.

That reverse began a poor few overs for Blaze, who lost Sophie Bryce, brilliantly caught by Katherine Fraser at backward point for four, and Prisha Thanawala, who fell to Villiers for nought. Katie Levick took two wickets in five balls to leave the visitors on 127 for nine after 18 over but Josie Groves’s two sixes in Fraser’s final over hoisted the total to respectability.

Durham’s pursuit of 148 began with a flurry of well-judged attacking shots and the home side were 64 without loss at the end of the powerplay. The impact of Villiers’ dismissal, leg-before to Kirsty Gordon for 31 with the score on 66, was mitigated by the home side’s otherwise serene progress halfway to their target after just eight of their 20 overs.

Armitage reached her fourth fifty in this year’s Blast off 36 balls and although a mix-up resulted in the run out of Emily Windsor for 19, Durham seemed to have their run chase under control when they got to 110 for two and needed 38 off the last five overs.

That impression was not illusory. The Blaze took three late wickets but Armitage did not panic and Emily Marlow’s single settled matters. No Blaze bowler took more than one wicket.