A bumper Trent Bridge crowd witnessed a thriller as The Blaze fought back with the ball but lost by one wicket against Thunder in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

The hosts claimed nine wickets for just 70 runs after Thunder were 89/0 in their pursuit of 174.

That was a total set in no small part thanks to The Blaze’s most prolific run-getter of the season, Kirstie Gordon, who continued her form with a stoic 43.

She, alongside Lucy Higham and Sarah Glenn, later turned the tide of the contest with eight wickets between them after Seren Smale had made the sole half-century of the contest to put the North West side on track. 

But the visitors edged over the line with 32 deliveries remaining, to secure their second win of the season.

Thunder had been almost immediately on the front foot in the fixture, having claimed three wickets - including that of the returning Tammy Beaumont - inside the first 12 overs.

Both Teresa Graves and Nadine de Klerk saw their gate breached by inswinging deliveries from Mahika Gaur, with 33 on the board by the time both had departed. 

While Beaumont, who had looked in good touch against openers and England teammates Gaur and Kate Cross, reached 25 before driving the former to Cross at mid-on. 

A five over spell of respite was ended by left-arm spinner Jones inducing a leading edge from Marie Kelly (23) before Sophie Ecclestone pouched a smart return catch to see the back of Glenn four balls later, reducing The Blaze to 74-5. 

Gordon resisted the momentum, though, first with Bethan Gammon in a partnership worth 30 before she was bowled trying to cut Jones, then with Sophie Munro after Ella Claridge had been caught at cover. 

The pair were circumspect in inching their side towards the allotted overs, Munro - making her 50th appearance for the East Midlands outfit - cutting the only boundary in 45-run partnership.

She was, though, run out for 19 in a mix up between the two.

Higham and Gordon added late impetus with 22 runs from 16 balls before the pair were bowled and caught respectively, The Blaze all out with 20 deliveries remaining.

Lamb and Smale capitalised upon some missed lengths in their reply, finding the cover boundary with regularity to bring up their fifty stand within six overs. 

The partnership had escalated to 89 by the time it was broken, Lamb skewing a drive to Graves at mid-on off Glenn, before Mack was bowled four deliveries later to add nerves to the Thunder ranks despite being well set at 92/2. 

That feeling grew when Fi Morris and Ellie Threlkeld chipped Higham to mid on and mid off, while Smale - whose half century came from 57 balls - watched on.

Spin continued to do the damage as regular wickets fell - Smale was bowled by Gordon, who later bowled Ecclestone and trapped Gaur lbw, while Higham struck Naomi Dattani adjacent to the stumps.

Kate Cross appeared to be shepherding her side to victory with a collected innings, but when she was bowled by Munro, 14 runs were still needed. 

It was left to Pheobe Graham and Jones, the latter of whom pulled de Klerk for four to secure victory.