The Blaze win again to boost treble hopes

The Blaze kept their hopes of a treble very much alive with a comfortable bonus-point victory over Somerset in the Women's One-Day Cup at Trent Bridge.

The Nottingham-based side now need just one win from their last two fixtures to guarantee a place in the final back on their home ground on 19 September.

But their next test will come against second-placed Hampshire, whose final group game on Wednesday, against The Blaze, takes place in Southampton. They have also already booked a place in the knockout stages.

While The Blaze won by six wickets, there were victories too for chasing Hampshire, third-placed Warwickshire and Surrey - but it was again the all-conquering T20 Blast and County Cup winners who starred.

They maintained their five-point gap at the top of the table in the 50-over format ahead of Hampshire, who earned a bonus point in beating Yorkshire by seven wickets, Surrey, who hammered Essex by 118 runs, and Lancashire, who squeezed home by three runs at home to Durham at their new home on the outskirts of Preston.

Unbeaten half-centuries from Sarah Bryce (54 from 65 balls) and Emma Jones (53 off 44) helped The Blaze home against Somerset with 11.3 overs to spare following Tammy Beaumont's 39.

Somerset captain Sophie Luff had earlier made her fourth 50-over half-century of the season as the visitors were bowled out for 192, spinner Lucy Higham taking 4-28, while there were two wickets each for Grace Ballinger and Kirstie Gordon.

Somerset remain in a race for third with Warwickshire, and a place in the eliminator round on 16 September.

Priyanaz Chatterji hit 77, sharing a stand of 103 in 69 balls with Phoebe Franklin (43), backed by former South African skipper Sune Luus (67) and Bryony Smith (59), as Surrey amassed 344-7 to beat Essex by 118 runs at Chelmsford.

Essex were never in the hunt as they were bowled out for 226, Chatterji taking two of the wickets. Surrey also gained a bonus point and now sit fifth in the table.

Hampshire leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington took a season's best 5-25 as Yorkshire were bowled out for 166, despite a classy 64 from Jess Jonassen.

Home captain Georgia Adams then made 61 as Hampshire won by seven wickets with 11.5 overs to spare.

Reigning champions Lancashire stayed in the hunt as the retiring Kate Cross defended nine runs off the last over to beat Durham.

Having been set 169-8 at Farington, Durham looked on course thanks to a fourth-wicket stand of 71 between Hollie Armitage (54) and Bess Heath (43). But, following on from Sophie Morris earlier removing three of the top four, Cross (3-24) got rid of both Heath and Armitage to earn her side a fifth straight win.

Wednesday 9 September

(All 10:30 BST)

Chelmsford: Essex v Yorkshire

Southampton: Hampshire v The Blaze

Taunton: Somerset v Lancashire

The Oval: Surrey v Warwickshire