Kathryn Bryce felt The Blaze delivered a comprehensive performance as they kept themselves in contention for a place in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy knockout stages with victory over Sunrisers.
Bryce hit an unbeaten 87 as the hosts prevailed by six wickets at Derby, and felt that her side were becoming accustomed to the rhythms of one-day cricket once more, after a break for The Hundred.
“It was a pretty good performance from us today,” she said.
“We won the other day in the first game back playing 50 overs (against Southern Vipers) but there were things we wanted to improve on.
“We tightened up with the ball and to manage to restrict them to under 250 on a good pitch with a quick outfield, we felt we were in a good position.”
Bryce also starred with the ball, taking 4/41 as Sunrisers were dismissed for 245 in the final over of their innings, but she was quick to credit her fellow bowlers with providing a helping of impetus.
“There was a crucial period after drinks when Lucy (Higham) and Josie (Groves) managed to pin them down a little,” she recalled.
“That brought a couple of quick wickets followed by a run-out, which switched the momentum back in our favour, and it was nice from my own point of view to contribute near the end as we tried to keep them under the pump.”
Tammy Beaumont, on her return to Blaze colours, hit 59 at the top of the order – accompanied by Bryce’s sister, Sarah.
And with Ella Claridge supplying a brisk 27-ball cameo which yielded 33 runs, the Scotland international was satisfied with the display from the batting unit.
“Tammy and Sarah were brilliant in the way they set the innings up nicely and Ella was impressive in the way she finished things off,” she said.
“I’m obviously pleased to have contributed with the bat. I felt confident coming into the T20 after the world qualifiers at the start of the year and it’s kind of clicked for me, especially with the batting.
The Blaze remain fifth in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table, but now sit just three points behind fourth-placed Sunrisers with two games to go.
The top four progress to the knockout stages, and after claiming the Charlotte Edwards Cup earlier this summer, Bryce is positive about her side’s chances.
“Winning the Charlotte Edwards has given us a lot of belief in this competition,” she said.
“We need other results to go in our favour but we will try to win the next two games and see what happens.”