Marie Kelly and Georgia Elwiss both struck half-centuries as The Blaze ended their Vitality Blast group-stage campaign on a high, taking victory over Hampshire Hawks by 27 runs.

Kelly struck 57 which included nine boundaries alongside Elwiss who made 53* to set the hosts a total of 165.

Cassidy McCarthy and Kathryn Bryce took early wickets to set Hawks far behind the required run-rate and impressive work in the field ensured they didn’t reach the target.

Captain Kirstie Gordon returned to the side but lost the toss as Hampshire chose to bowl first.

Despite a slow start with the first boundary not coming until the third over, Marie Kelly soon got going as she struck four boundaries alongside Georgia Elwiss to see The Blaze reach 44/0 from the powerplay.

The pair kept the scoreboard ticking over until the bad balls came, which were then punished to the boundary. Kelly began to increase her scoring rate the longer she stayed at the crease, finding lots of success with the reverse sweep.

She brought up her half-century from just 36 balls, as The Blaze were 87/0 at the halfway stage.

Elwiss was also scoring well as a powerful four brought up the pair’s century partnership before Marie Kelly was eventually dismissed for a superb 57.

Kathryn Bryce joined Elwiss at the crease and continued where Kelly left off, scoring freely and smashing boundaries while her partner moved closer to her half-century.

Bryce was eventually removed after a quick fire 37 which included five boundaries. In the final over Elwiss reached her much-deserved fifty as Sarah Bryce, Heather Graham and Ella Claridge lost their wickets to see Blaze finish on 164/5 from their innings.

After an impressive knock with the bat, Kathryn Bryce took Blaze’s important first wicket as Ellyse Perry chipped one up looking to sweep straight to Claridge.

Cassidy McCarthy then managed to find the edge of Freya Kemp to take Blaze’s second in a wicket-maiden.

Hawks did manage to create a third-wicket partnership through Rhianna Southby and Georgia Adams but with a run-rate far behind what was needed as Hampshire were only 53/2 at the halfway stage.

The pair continued to score slowly as the required run rate moved up to over 12 with just seven overs returning, however Southby started to push closer to her fifty which she eventually reached in the sixteenth over with a four down the ground.

Their partnership moved to 81 as they brought up Hawks’ hundred total with four overs left. Georgia Adams then reached her 50 with a fine cut shot to the boundary, there were a few squeaks around the home support with a few overs to go to see if they could chase the total down.

However, the game was put to bed in the final two overs as Marie Kelly caught Georgia Adams on the boundary with a great running catch for 57.

Before Rhianna Southby was ran out for 62 in spectacular fashion with a direct hit from the deep in the final over by Michaela Kirk as The Blaze keep the momentum rolling over ahead of finals day.