Kathryn Bryce scored her second half-century in as many games as The Blaze continued their perfect start in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at Trent Bridge, beating Central Sparks by 10 runs. 

Bryce and Kirstie Gordon starred with the ball, each claiming two wickets after the hosts mustered 134 batting first. 

Both teams were vying for the top spot in the table after the Sparks lost by three wickets to Lightning on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Blaze are now four games unbeaten to begin the 20 over competition. 

Tammy Beaumont and Teresa Graves opened the batting for the Blaze after the visitors won the toss with the former crunching a pull square to open the scoring off the first ball, but the England opener was dismissed three balls later, miscuing to mid-wicket.

The hosts were then reduced to 16-2 in the fourth over when Graves was caught at extra cover. 

Kathryn Bryce and Sarah Bryce rebuilt for The Blaze, though.

The pair plundered 55 in 44 deliveries before the latter holed out to deep midwicket, leaving The Blaze 71-3 in the 11th.

Kathryn, though, ploughed on, paddle-scooping Katie George for her eighth boundary from 44 balls, following up by sweeping Baker for her ninth but was leg before trying to give the same treatment to the next delivery.

De Klerk’s run-a-ball 19 ended with a second catch for Jones at extra cover. Arlott limited Marie Kelly’s contribution to a single but Ella Claridge (10 off eight balls) and Josie Groves (11 off seven) added potentially valuable late runs. 

The Sparks' innings began with Brewer being caught at mid-wicket for one, with the score at 6-1 after two overs.

However, Davina Perrin quickly got into the game, hitting consecutive boundaries, but she was soon dismissed by Kathryn Bryce, caught and bowled in the third over. The Sparks were plunged into further trouble at 20-3 when Abby Freeborn was dismissed via lbw.

Jones, reprieved on nine after walking on a caught-and-bowled by off-spinner Lucy Higham that umpires Amy Clark and Anthony Harris ruled did not carry, was joined by Webb and by reaching the halfway point with no further losses the pair kept their side at least in contention.

But that changed in the course of two tight overs as Sparks captain holed out to long-on off leg-spinner Josie Groves and Webb was caught by ‘keeper Sarah Bryce off a steepling top edge off Higham, pushing the required rate up to nine, Pavely falling to a superb catch at midwicket by Ella Claridge as the last 30 deliveries began with 46 needed.

Arlott hit two boundaries but was bowled by Bryce, leaving 20 needed off the last over, which despite the efforts of George proved too much.