EMILY Windsor again led Southern Vipers to Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Final glory with a sparkling 57 off 53 balls which helped her side chase down 201 to beat The Blaze with five wickets.

Windsor played a similar hand for Vipers against Northern Diamonds on this ground in 2021 when Vipers won the same trophy. This latest victory continues a remarkable record for Vipers in Northampton coming after their success in last year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup and brings them their third 50 over title in the last four years.

Windsor, well supported by Freya Kemp (32 off 35), took charge after Northamptonshire leg-spinner Josie Groves claimed three wickets in eight balls to give The Blaze real hope. Groves made the crucial breakthrough to end a dangerous stand of 96 between former England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss and Georgia Adams.

Windsor and Kemp more than kept up with the required run rate in a stand of 94 off 84 balls to reach their target.

England opener Tammy Beaumont hit a battling 76 (104 balls) to lead a Blaze fightback after left-arm spinner Linsey Smith (3-30) struck twice in the second over of the day. 

Beaumont struck eight boundaries and forged a 48-run partnership with Sophie Munro to push the Blaze towards 200 in a match reduced to 48 overs a side.

The Blaze were put into bat in damp conditions on a slow surface taking spin and Smith soon reduced them to 6 for two.

Her first delivery trapped Lizelle Lee lbw before Marie Kelly carved a short, wide delivery straight to extra cover.

Beaumont looked to settle Blaze nerves, responding with boundaries on both sides of the wicket against Mary Taylor as she rebuilt, first in a partnership of 39 with Sarah Bryce before the Scottish international was bowled between bat and pad in Dean’s first over.

Kathryn Bryce helped steady the ship in a stand of 40 with Beaumont before she too fell. It left the Blaze five down for 106 and in need of a lengthy partnership to set some kind of target.

With weather improving and batting becoming easier, Sophie Munro answered the call, combining with Beaumont across 11 overs.

On 14 Beaumont drilled a delivery from Smith hard down back the pitch, but the bowler could not hold on. Then when she reached 31, Adams put down a much simpler caught and bowled chance.

Finally, facing Dean, she was unable to clear the ring once more and could only pick out Adams at mid-off.

Higham followed shortly afterwards, bowled by Smith before Munro was trapped plumb in front by Adams. Skipper Kirstie Gordon played a handy knock at the end to propel the Blaze up to 200.

In the chase, Grace Ballinger bowled a superb opening five-over spell in the powerplay, three of them maidens, conceding just two runs in the process.

At the other end, Kathryn Bryce made a double breakthrough with a wicket in each of her opening overs.

First, she snared Ella McCaughan (0), then she accounted for dangerous England opener Maia Bouchier adjudged lbw for just 2 to leave Vipers in trouble on 4 for two.

Elwiss though was soon into her work, taking two consecutive boundaries off Bryce and picking up six boundaries around the ground.

Adams, who survived two dropped chances, was content to play the anchor role, but she too found the boundary boards, skipping down the track to clip Higham through long-on.

A drinks break provided the reset the Blaze needed thanks to Groves’ double strike. First Elwiss departed immediately after posting her half-century, caught behind. Adams was bowled three balls later before Dean fell lbw.

But Winsor was positive from the start, taking little time to play herself in, hitting nine boundaries, finding scoring options down to third and fine leg and driving through cover.

She brought up her half-century by driving Higham down the ground for four and then hit the winning runs through extra cover.