Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Jess Jonassen posted runs yet again for Yorkshire today.
The Blaze v Yorkshire
Vitality Blast, Women
Friday May 22, 2026, 2.30pm
Trent Bridge
Toss: Yorkshire won it and elected to bat
Teams: The Blaze – Tammy Beaumont, Marie Kelly, Kathryn Bryce, Georgie Elwiss, Charli Knott, Sarah Bryce w, Emma Jones, Ella Claridge, Kirstie Gordon c, Lucy Higham, Charley Phillips.
Yorkshire – Lauren Winfield-Hill c/w, Erin Thomas, Jess Jonassen, Sterre Kalis, Ami Campbell, Olivia Thomas, Maddie Ward, Beth Langston, Rachel Slater, Ria Fackrell, Holly Garton.
Match summary: Yorkshire were beaten in an entertaining Vitality Blast opener by last year’s semi-finalists The Blaze, who chased a 180-target to win by four wickets with three balls to spare.
Jess Jonassen 52, Sterre Kalis 47 and Ami Campbell 30 all contributed to Yorkshire’s competitive 179-5, and they were in the game with the ball at 63-3 in the eighth over. Teenaged leg-spinner Holly Garton had struck twice and finished with a brilliant 3-23 from four overs.
But the game’s key contribution came from Australian debutant Charli Knott, who steered the home recovery to the verge of victory with 57 off 29 balls.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Lauren Winfield-Hill congratulates Holly Garton the wicket of Tammy Beaumont, her first in Tier 1 cricket.
Report: Yorkshire, boosted by the inclusion of their two Thomas’s – Erin and Olivia, following injuries – lost two early wickets to fall to 25-2 in the third over.
Erin was actually one of those having hit a couple off boundaries in the opening over from the impressive seam of Charley Phillips, 3-31 from four overs.
Lauren Winfield-Hill miscued a pull at Kirstie Gordon’s left-arm spin to mid-on before Thomas drilled Phillips to mid-off, where Marie Kelly took a smart catch going to her left.
Thankfully, though, Jonassen and Kalis united to share 76 for the third wicket, and in quick time too.
Jonassen led the way. She took on the twin off-spin threat of her fellow Queenslander Charli Knott and Lucy Higham. In the eighth over, she reversed two fours to third and clattered a six over mid-wicket as 21 came from the over to take the score to 74-2.
Kalis also settled nicely.
But just after reaching a 28-ball fifty – her fifth time to that mark in eight innings for Yorkshire this summer – Jonassen fell caught dragging Phillips to deep mid-wicket, leaving the score at 101-3 in the 12th.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Sterre Kalis impressed for 47 at Trent Bridge today.
Thankfully, Kalis was able to maintain the momentum with the help of Ami Campbell.
The Dutch international hit three fours in as many balls off Kathryn Bryce’s seam in the 14th over – 127-3 – before falling caught at wide mid-off against Gordon not long afterwards.
Campbell’s useful 30 off 22 boosted the total, with her also falling to Phillips in the late search for quick runs.
The Blaze had advanced their chase to 25-0 in the fourth over, by which time Holly Garton skidded one through at Tammy Beaumont and bowled her.
And it was another leg-spinner who struck next in Olivia Thomas when she had Marie Kelly stumped for 25 – 55-2 in the seventh.
Success for the leggies continued when Garton struck again in the next, getting Kathryn Bryce for 17 in identical fashion to the Beaumont dismissal, the score on 63.
The Blaze reached the 10-over mark at 90-3, needing 90 more.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Ami Campbell at the crease against The Blaze today.
And, courtesy of Charli Knott and Georgia Elwiss, The Blaze were unfortunately able to turn things around amidst some sloppy Yorkshire fielding.
A run of four successive double-figure overs in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th overs proved costly as the game swung, The Blaze now 115-3 and needing only 65 more.
The 57-run partnership was broken by Garton, who had Elwiss brilliantly caught at long-on by a back-peddling Kalis for 20 – 120-4 in the 14th.
But Knott’s presence at the crease was key.
By the time she reached a 27-ball fifty, The Blaze were 144-4 at the start of the 17th over.
And while she was bowled by Beth Langston shortly afterwards, the target became five off the last over, bowled by Olivia Thomas. She removed Emma Jones with a full toss off the first ball before Sarah Bryce hit the winning boundary to finish 28 not out.
Magic moment: You could choose any one of the three wickets for Academy leggie Holly Garton, making her first Tier 1 appearance. First she bowled Tammy Beaumont and Kathryn Bryce – both looking to cut – in the space of four overs as The Blaze’s chase went from 25-0 in the fourth to 63-3 in the eighth. She later had Georgia Elwiss brilliantly caught at long-on by Sterre Kalis (120-4 in the 14th).
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Australian Charli Knott helped The Blaze turn things around with a debut 57.
Turning point: The Blaze were in a spot of bother after Garton had struck twice – at 63-3 in the eighth over – but things turned when Australian overseas Charli Knott united with former England international Georgia Elwiss. They quickly found their stride and shared 57 for the fourth wicket.
Stat of the match: Since the start of last season, this was only Yorkshire’s third defeat in 15 T20 matches across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cricket.
What they said: Yorkshire batter Sterre Kalis said – “We had a really good score, we thought, on a good pitch. We always aim to get 185 on the board, so I think that was alright.
“The pockets on this ground are quite big, and I thought The Blaze ran really well between the wickets. I think we let ourselves down a bit with that.
“I also think we let ourselves down in the field, and there were a few overs where we went for too many.
“Holly’s been brilliant. She’s been with us at training for a few games before, and she’s performed really well in the Academy
“She deserved to get an opportunity, and today her three wickets were their three big batters. I’m so pleased for her – she had a brilliant day out.”
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Olivia Thomas was back in action following a shin injury in the winter. She struck twice.
What’s next: It’s the defending champions Surrey up next at Headingley on Sunday, 11.30am. That, like today, is also part of a Blast double header with the county’s men. They face Derbyshire Falcons from 3.30pm.
