Beaumont ton trumps Scrivens' as Blaze maintain table-topping form

A second century in three days from England's Tammy Beaumont led The Blaze to a fourth straight win as they continue to set the pace in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women's competition.

Essex captain Grace Scrivens impressed with a fine unbeaten 120 but 231 for 9 from 50 overs always looked a difficult total to defend against their top-of-the-table opponents.

The England A batter had support from Jodi Grewcock (28) and Amara Carr (34) but from too few partners overall as Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast and England legspinner Sarah Glenn took three wickets each.

Beaumont followed her unbeaten 112 against Hampshire at Trent Bridge on Sunday with 116 not out here, with backing from Scotland skipper Kathryn Bryce (47) and England's Amy Jones (41) as The Blaze won by five wickets with 55 balls to spare. Esmae MacGregor took 3 for 42 as the pick of the Essex bowlers.

Put in, Essex were 37 for 2 after 10 overs, left-arm seamer Grace Ballinger having dismissed Alice Macleod, bowled, and Cordelia Griffith, leg before.

Having been 17 for 2, Scrivens and 20-year-old Grewcock built a decent recovery, adding 59 before the introduction of Ireland international Prendergast brought about a mini-collapse.

Prendergast bowled Grewcock, on the back foot, and dealt Essex two more blows from balls banged in short, Florence Miller gloving behind and Sophia Smale chopping on, as 76 for 2 became 95 for 5.

Scrivens found more support from Carr in adding 80 for the sixth-wicket, passing 50 from 79 balls with her fourth boundary, putting Essex in a decent position at 175 for 5 going into the last 10 overs.

But Glenn, after a wicketless first spell, returned to dismiss Carr, who skied to mid-off, and Eve Gray leg before with consecutive balls before MacGregor also fell leg before in her next over. Ballinger could not complete her allocation after an injury in the field.

Scrivens survived a difficult chance to long-on on 92 off Josie Groves, going on to reach 100 with her ninth boundary from 120 balls, picking up another couple and a six, off Kathryn Bryce, as she and Kate Coppack added 35 for the ninth wicket.

The Essex attack struggled to contain Jones and Beaumont as the England duo propelled their side to 54 without loss in the opening powerplay. Jones eventually mistimed MacGregor to be caught at mid-on for 41 out of 92, Beaumont completing a second consecutive half-century from 54 balls with six fours and a six to the short straight boundary off Grewcock's legspin.

Jones gave way to Kathryn Bryce, with no let-up for Essex, the second-wicket pair putting on 104 in a 20-over partnership, Beaumont hitting her second six over the sightscreen at the athletics track end of the Haslegrave Ground, before Bryce feathered one behind.

Sarah Bryce and Georgie Boyce both holed out chasing - in vain - a bonus point on offer for winning inside 40 overs, and Prendergast was bowled swinging, before Beaumont, whose hundred came from 110 balls, restored order by hitting Gray square of the wicket for the winning boundary, her 13th to go with two sixes.