The first ever Women’s Vitality Blast Finals Day line up on Sunday 27 July has been confirmed with The Blaze and Birmingham Bears playing off in the Eliminator match for the right to take on Surrey in the Final.
The women’s Vitality Blast season has been outstanding so far and Finals Day will see the best three T20 sides in the country compete for the inaugural title. The three teams are filled with some of the top players in the game and it promises to be an unforgettable day at the Kia Oval.
Surrey Squad
For one last time in the Women’s Vitality Blast, Bryony Smith’s 15 player squad for the final is as follows;
What’s going on around the ground?
As well as some outstanding action on the pitch, there’s also some brilliant activities to take part in around the ground. The first 2,000 spectators through the gates will be able to get hold of a Vitality Blast bucket hat with a limited supply of foam fingers also available for fans to get their hands on.
Supporters will be able to create their own personal trading card putting themselves in their favourite teams colours and rating their skills on a printable card to take home. There will also be live music, street performers and face painters around the concourses.
The Mascot Derby is an iconic part of any Finals Day and for the Women’s Finals Day there is a twist! The mascots from each of the teams will be taking part in a take on the classic game: Hungry, Hungry Hippos!
Euros Finals Fan zones
After England’s success in the Euros this summer, Surrey are gearing up for an exciting super Sunday of women’s sport!
We’ll make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action, with three Euros fan zones around the ground. The final day of the Old Trafford Test will also be shown on TVs around the ground.
SSE Energy Solutions Concourse
The football will be shown on the big screens next to the Club Shop in the concourse area underneath the SSE Energy Solutions Stand. With plenty of seating as well as access to food and drink outlets, this is a great spot to take in all the action.
Roof Terrace
The Roof Terrace in the JM Finn stand will show England as they play in their second consecutive Euros final. The area has views of the pitch, so you’ll be able to watch Surrey out in the middle whilst keeping an eye on the football and the Test Match.
Duchy Suite (Members Only)
The Duchy Suite in the SSE Energy Solutions Stand will have a big screen and lots of seating as well as a dedicated bar open serving drinks at Members’ Prices.
These zones will offer big screen viewing, dedicated bars and seating areas so both football and cricket fans can catch all the action alongside Surrey in their Vitality Blast Final.
The Teams
Surrey go straight into the Final, courtesy of topping the group stages, whilst the Bears and The Blaze will play-off in the eliminator.
Against their potential Final opponents Surrey have two victories over the Bears and were defeated at home by The Blaze before gaining revenge in the return fixture thanks to an outstanding bowling display to close out victory at Trent Bridge.
The Bears and the Blaze saw a tense tie in the very first game of the year, Maddie Green was run out off the final ball as the Blaze couldn’t get past the Bears total of 160. In the return game, Birmingham Bears were comfortable winners at Edgbaston by 25 runs.
Surrey
Bryony Smith’s Surrey side have been in fine form, winning 11 out of 14 games, and losing just once. Built on big-hitting with the bat, superstar Danni Wyatt-Hodge leads the run-scoring charts for the Three Feathers with 372 runs in just eight innings. Australian Grace Harris has also played some terrific knocks, scoring 275 runs and taking 10 wickets with her off-spin.
Seamer Ryana MacDonald-Gay is the leading wicket-taker for Surrey with 14 at an average of under 15. Meanwhile leg-spinner Dani Gregory has the best figures for Surrey, taking a whirlwind 4/13 at the Kia Oval to spin the side to victory over Somerset.
The Blaze
For The Blaze, Kathryn Bryce has been the star performer with bat and ball. Bryce has 17 wickets and 370 runs in the group stages and is often the heartbeat of any success for the Notts-based team. Spinner Kirstie Gordon has shown why she’s one of the best bowlers in the domestic game, picking up 16 wickets of her own.
Experienced batter Georgia Elwiss is leading the way in the runs column, the right-hander has 359 runs, passing 50 three times.
Birmingham Bears
The Birmingham Bears have some explosive batters with the exciting young player Davina Perrin the team’s top-scorer with 384 runs with a strike-rate of nearly 145. On loan from Yorkshire, Sterre Kallis has been in good nick, whilst the explosive Australian Laura Harris, sister of Surrey’s Grace, is a dangerous player.
With the ball, Millie Taylor is the second leading wicket-taker in the competition with 19 wickets, with her left-arm leg-spin bowling.
