Kirstie Gordon believes The Blaze’s route to the Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day has put them in the best possible position to be successful at the tournament’s showpiece event. 

She leads a squad of 15 for the occasion at The Incora County Ground, Derbyshire, with Sarah Glenn missing out through injury. 

The Blaze will play Central Sparks in the opening game of the day (11am), with the final against South East Stars or Southern Vipers at 6:45pm.

The Blaze won nine out of ten group stage games - a feat which included a myriad of routes to victory. 

The East Midlands outfit defended 112 in the opening game against Southern Vipers, the first of eight straight wins in the pool stage. 

Four of those were won batting first and four fielded first, with the margin of victory ranging from three runs to eight wickets. 

“We’ve found ways to win games which we probably shouldn’t have won, and we’ve dominated others,” Gordon said.

“That’s the sign of a good team that’s resilient and determined to win games of cricket.

“Loads of different people have stood up in those games, which leaves us in good stead ahead of tomorrow.

“As a team we stick together and have faith in one another - I could throw the ball to any one of my bowlers and back them to get crucial wickets, and that’s a great place to be where you look around the field and see all sorts of options.

Gordon also believes she and her team are well placed to embrace the pressure that comes with knockout cricket. 

It’ll be her second successive year leading The Blaze out for the 20 over cruscendo, with the ambition to go one better than the second place finish achieved in 2023. 

The group is better for that experience, she says, with a plethora of players - including herself -  who are keen to take responsibility. 

“Last year didn’t go to plan and I think that, at the time, those moments are hard to take, but actually you learn so much from coming out on the wrong side of games. 

“That’s what professional sport is about: you’ll always lose a few but can you win the big ones and can you stay calm under pressure when things aren’t going your way.

“That resilience shown by winning games from tricky positions will stand us in really good stead tomorrow.

“Personally, I absolutely love the big moments and the pressure that comes with it - I’ve always enjoyed it but as a captain you want to take that responsibility and lead from the front. We’ve got quite a few girls like that, and that makes our team a really good place to be.”

The occasion itself is one to be embraced, The Blaze captain added

Whilst Gordon is well aware there will be ebbs and flows throughout the day, calmness has the capability to see her side though. 

In any case, the emotion will be one of excitement come judgment day.

“I think I get more nervous at the stage when nothing’s in your control and you’re just preparing for the day. 

“When tomorrow comes that’ll shift more towards excitement, especially once I’ve got the ball in my hand.

“Being relentless and getting ourselves out of tricky situations are massive strengths of ours - It’s okay to be under the pump sometimes, it’s simply about who can hold their own in those moments and I know we’ve done that for this whole competition.”