Words by Hen Cowen, ECB

Southern Vipers lifted the Charlotte Edwards Cup at New Road as they beat Blaze by seven wickets to win the competition for the second year in a row.

A Danni Wyatt half-century propelled the Vipers’ chase, and fittingly it was captain Georgia Adams who hit the winning runs for her team to ensure the Vipers defended their title.

Adams was also named Player of the Tournament for her efforts across the domestic campaign, while Vipers stalwart Anya Shrubsole signed off from regional cricket on a high, lifting the trophy and earning the Player of the Match award as she announced after the game that she was retiring at the end of the season and had played her last game for the Vipers.

Shrubsole had earlier taken 2-24, a typically skilful spell of four overs that was split over yesterday’s scheduled final and today’s reserve day, with a thunderstorm bringing everyone back this morning to take the final to its close with Blaze poised on 53-4 overnight.

Blaze had been unbeaten in the group stages, topping the table with seven wins, but the Vipers’ experience and nous won out at New Road, with the East Midlands region never fully recovering from the early loss yesterday of Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Bryce.

Marie Kelly held Blaze’s innings together, with an unbeaten 26, but their 114-8 felt light against a Vipers team boasting the firepower of Danni Wyatt and Maia Bouchier up top.

Indeed the England pair put on 67 for the first wicket in Vipers’ reply and Wyatt continued her fine form from the semi-final in making another enterprising half-century.

Blaze’s bowlers pushed for a breakthrough but while they claimed three wickets the Vipers never looked in danger, and they got home with five overs to spare.

Words by Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network

Southern Vipers and The Blaze will have to come back on Sunday to complete the Charlotte Edwards Cup final after heavy rain saturated the outfield at New Road, Worcester.

Anya Shrubsole had inspired Vipers to condemn The Blaze to 53 for four in 9.3 overs before lightning in the area took the teams off at 4:35pm, before rain made sure they didn’t come back.

Play was officially abandoned at just after 6pm with the decision to come back on Sunday for the reserve day - with the start time yet to be confirmed.

Any action will restart at the halfway point of The Blaze innings, and if there is no chance of rain then The Blaze will win by virtue of finishing top of the group – where they boasted a 100 per cent record.

The reserve day is bad news for some of the Vipers players who were due to take advantage of the short break in the season by taking a holiday.

In the 57 balls possible before the storm breezed in, former England fast bowler Shrubsole pinned former international team-mate lbw with a trademark inswinger with the third ball of the innings.

She then found Sarah Bryce swinging straight up into the air in the following over as The Blaze slumped to 19 for two, and only reached 34 for two by the end of the powerplay.

Spinners Lauren Smith and Georgia Adams then put the batting side into more trouble, with Georgie Boyce caught behind with one that popped, and Kathryn Bryce was bowled through the gate.

The Vipers had earlier won their Eliminator against Thunder by 18 runs after half-centuries from Danni Wyatt and Maia Bouchier – with Thunder coming up short in the chase of 191.