Issy Wong stars as Bears reach Blast final

The Bears secured a place in the T20 Blast Final with a 20-run win over The Blaze much thanks to Issy Wong’s 4/14 and 59-run contribution with the bat.

Issy Wong must have indulged in another delectable sausage roll from Warwick Parkway train station, the ideal brain fuel for scoring a T20 career best total of 59 from 37 and quickly dismissing two of the Blaze’s top order. With Beaumont and both the Bryce’s in her locker, Wong was having the type of performance scouts envisioned when she was a teenager.

Scoring 163/8, Wong and Sterre Kalis (who yesterday was playing in a Yorkshire shirt at Tier 2 Finals Day) mustered a 64-run partnership.

In response, Wong’s toppling of the top order left Marie Kelly, former captain of the Bears, with the burden of recovering the game. Kelly looked as if she could take the game away, finding boundary after boundary assisted by Georgia Elwiss who top scored with 53 from 45.

20-year-old Millie Taylor has been the breakthrough star for the Bears this season. Taking a gamble and moving away from Sussex has been a brave and vital move for Taylor. Bowling left arm leg spin and consistently being among the wickets have kept eyes on her throughout the Blast. Figures of 3/20 in the eliminator is already impressive but perhaps not the whole story, Taylor’s bowling strangling the Blaze’s batting as the side approached the death.

The scales tipped in the Bears’ favour with Georgia Elwiss departing the ball after reaching her half century, the Blaze requiring 29 from the final two overs. It was fitting that the fired up Wong took the final wicket, the Bears comfortably ensuring their place in the final against Surrey.