The Blaze, 218-6 defeat Warwickshire, 171, by 47 runs.

A rain-affected 50-over match on a club ground might bear little resemblance to a T20 at the Kia Oval, but The Blaze will draw confidence from a convincing 47-run victory over Warwickshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, as a dress rehearsal of sorts for Sunday’s Vitality Blast semi-final.

Openers Marie Kelly and Georgie Boyce set the table for The Blaze, combining for 106 as the home side reached a total of 218-6, before a Kathryn Bryce and Grace Ballinger blitz with the new ball reduced Warwickshire to 14-4 within five overs to put the Blaze in total control on route to victory.

Rain and poor weather delayed the start of proceedings for two hours, with the captain's tossing the coin at 12pm to commence a reduced 39 over match at 12.30pm. Kirstie Gordon lost the toss and was unsurprisingly sent in to bat, as The Blaze would need to navigate the tricky conditions first.

However, The Blaze established a strong foundation as Kelly and Boyce shared a superb opening stand. Warwickshire were unable to build any real pressure, and Boyce found the boundary four times before Kelly became the aggressor, pulling Amu Surenkumar for six in the sixth over.

A first List-A appearance of the season got better and better for Kelly, who drove confidently and played behind the wicket to continue piling on the runs.

She found the boundary three times in the same over off Warwickshire captain Georgia Davis, before completing a 47-ball half-century against her former county when she swept Millie Taylor for her seventh four.

Taylor finally broke the stand when she removed Kelly, who finished with a List-A personal best 66 off just 61 deliveries, with The Blaze in a healthy position at 106-1 through 18 overs. Boyce was in sight of a fifty of her own before she unfortunately holed out on 46, a contribution as meaningful and valuable as her opening partner's.

Kathryn Bryce joined the fray with Georgia Elwiss, and looked reasonably comfortable until she was stumped on 23 - which prompted a mini run of wickets as Georgia Elwiss, Heather Graham and Ella Claridge all fell for less than 20 as 2-128 became 6-181, with four overs left for The Blaze to bat.

Sarah Bryce hung firm though, and built her innings as others fell around her. She found a willing partner in Sarah Glenn, and the two batted brilliantly to add 37 runs from the final three overs, with Bryce finishing with an impressive 32 off just 19 balls to guide The Blaze to 218-6 through their 39 overs.

Needing to chase at 5.6 an over, Warwickshire had a manageable chase in front of them. That was, until Kathryn Bryce and Grace Ballinger decided to dictate proceedings.

In the second over, Bryce had Bethan Ellis (9) caught sharply by Ella Claridge, before Ballinger removed Davina Perrin in the third over (1) via an equally classy take from Lucy Higham. Bryce completed a brilliant caught and bowled in the next over to dismiss Surenkumar, before Ballinger struck again in her next over to dismiss Sterre Kalis via a legside glance, with Warwickshire shellshocked at 14-4 through their first five overs.

Warwickshire batters Katie George and Abbey Freeborn were able to survive five overs without loss, before Bryce struck again with a cracking inswinger to castle George (5), as The Blaze continued to apply the pressure.

Freeborn and new batter Nat Wraith rebuilt well, and managed to frustrate The Blaze throughout the middle period of the innings. Both players reached their fifties, playing nicely and giving Warwickshire a genuine foothold in the game.

As their partnership passed 100 in the 28th over, The Blaze needed a breakthrough, as Georgia Elwiss dismissed Freeborn (52) lbw attempting to ramp, Warwickshire now 140-6, before Wong was removed ten runs later as Elwiss struck again.

Millie Taylor was run out on the very next ball, before Ballinger claimed her third to remove Davis. The valiant Wraith was last to fall, caught on an impressive 75 off just 71 balls - a shining light in her sides attempted chase as The Blaze bowled Warwickshire out for 171, 47 runs short.

The Blaze seamers enjoyed excellent returns, with Kathryn Bryce (3-18), Grace Ballinger (3-26) and Georgia Elwiss (3-26) paving the way to victory, as The Blaze now look ahead to a do or die Vitality Blast semi-final on Sunday.