Marie Kelly and Sarah Bryce’s fifties maintained The Blaze’s unbeaten start to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and gained revenge on Southern Vipers for their Charlotte Edwards Cup final defeat.

Openers Kelly and Bryce – 61 and 52 – put on 115 as The Blaze chased down 259 with 10 balls to spare.

Georgia Adams had narrowly missed out on her second Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy century with a high-quality unbeaten 95 on Vipers’ first voyage to the Isle of Wight.

The Blaze have now won six and had two no results to sit comfortably at the top of the table, while holders Vipers have now lost four of their eight matches to put their progression in jeopardy.

Vipers were stuck in and made slow progress on a pitch that never rewarded shot-making due to its tennis ball bounce – something that would be reflected in a scorecard full of starts.

Kirstie Gordon’s introduction proved the catalyst to move the game forward. Her first three overs went for 30, but also picked up Ella McCaughan lbw on the reverse sweep and Maia Bouchier hoicking a long hop to deep square after a tantalising 40.

She would also pick up in-form Emily Windsor top edging to short fine to eventually end up with three for 54.

The Vipers boast three partnerships in the fifties with the latest seeing Adams begin to find her feet at the crease with Georgia Elwiss.

Adams reached her second fifty of the campaign with a trademarked languid straight drive in 73 balls and embarked on attempting to reach three figures.

She was up against Nadine de Klerk who was making her way through her partners, Elwiss smashed one to cover, Freya Kemp was bounced out three balls later and Linsey Smith steered to point. The South African returned three for 48. Kathryn Bryce also picked up Maitlan Brown.

But Adams was running out of time. Despite sixes off Sophie Munro and Ballinger she needed 14 off the final over to reach 100 but fell five runs short.

Rain during the interval quickened up the pitch and initially made batting productively slightly easier.

Kelly and Bryce really played that change to their advantage with a wonderful partnership that saw runs flow consistently ahead of the required rate – making sure any heavier rain wouldn’t hurt them at the picturesque Newclose Cricket Ground.

Kelly found gaps all around the field, while Bryce dominated square on either side of the wicket and very rarely looked at the V.

Bryce reached fifty first in 57 balls, Kelly followed in the following ball in 63 deliveries – both their second half-centuries of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy season.

The 115 the pair put together was The Blaze’s highest opening before Adams found Bryce’s outside edge and Kelly holed out off promising young off-spinner Ava Lee.

Kathryn Bryce continued the wobble by top edging to square leg, but Georgie Boyce and Michaela Kirk mopped things up with a 42-run stand.

But Boyce kept Vipers interested when she plinked to long on with 47 still needed, with Kirk bowled and Teresa Graves lbw in successive balls to Smith with 31 required.

Munro and de Klerk held their nerves under pressure to avenge the loss at New Road last month and win by four wickets.