Josie Groves played her part as The Blaze bagged another win in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign against Central Sparks.
The youngest member of the squad dismissed Katie George, Emily Arlott, and Charis Pavely to gift herself a three-fer on her 19th birthday, as the hosts stretched their lead at the top of the table.
“To be honest I was a bit nervous throughout the game,” Groves admitted.
“I thought that we started well though in both powerplays. Grace [Ballinger] and Kathryn [Bryce] were strong to open and ended up showing how difficult seam was to bowl on that pitch. And then in the powerplay Lizelle [Lee] and Tammy [Beaumont] went flying out of the blocks so I think they set us up at the start of each innings.
“I didn’t have many expectations; I haven’t bowled a massive amount in recent games for The Blaze this yea, but I’ve felt really good recently so being able to just bowl and see what happens felt like it went the right way.
“And Kirstie [Gordon] has been great; she’s fully backed me with the ball so today felt like my opportunity to trial what I’ve been doing in training. I just went out there to see what I could do - I felt quite good within myself when I got the call up, so I wasn’t too worried, but I honestly wasn’t expecting too much.”
Groves has had something of a landmark summer, earning her first professional contract before being selected for Trent Rockets and earning a place at Loughborough University for the coming academic year.
It looked as if she may be required to get her side over the line on her 19th birthday after The Blaze slipped from 61-0 to 91-6, but Gordon combined with Nat Sciver-Brunt to see her side to victory.
“It's a great birthday present”, Groves laughed on not having to bat.
“Tammy was like, 'I reckon some winning runs on your birthday would be good', but I was honestly thinking not having to go out there was the best present, and if we could just get the game done before I had to go in I’d be much happier with the outcome!
"Lizelle and Tammy started really well. Then Nat, being the class batter that she is, got us those partnerships with Lucy [Higham] and Kirstie.”
Groves named patience as the key ingredient for success as The Blaze tallied another win to add to their tally and edge closer to another spot at the 50 over final.
With three group-stage games remaining, the Trent Bridge-based outfit need five points to guarantee a place in the final at Wantage Road.
“You definitely had to bide your time, I think our team has proven that we’ve been able to get over the line in games where we haven’t necessarily played our best cricket, so I think even when you’ve got your number nine going out to bat, you know you’ll find a way across the line to take the win.”
“We’ve got a very different looking side out next Sunday with people off on international duties,” says Groves who looks ahead to the Blaze’s clash with South East Stars in Kent, “but I think taking that confidence away from winning away from today allows the other girls to head into the weekend knowing that we have the ability to pull away at tense moments.
“It’s also exciting for other teammates to be given the opportunity to step up and take different roles into the last few games of the season.”