Having just been haring around the boundary to save one, Grace Ballinger then has to come back on to bowl her seventh over.

But she really should have run out Freya Kemp first ball.

She does not gather cleanly and the Hants pair I had just written had been running so well, get away with a cheeky two that should not have been!

Of course next ball after there should have been a wicket, there is four.

Ballinger's changes of pace earn her a few dots.

Kathryn Bryce is taken for three by Freya Kemp first ball of her second over.

Ella McCaughan then gives her the strike back next ball with a single.

A couple of dots and then great fielding by Grace Ballinger saves another one to have a second three of the over for Freya Kemp.

Both seriously fit, professional athletes.

Good job they have been playing together since Sussex u11s to have this perfect understanding for running hard between the wickets!

Grace Ballinger bowls a sixth over, all to Ella McCaughan, two runs, two leg byes and then a last ball four take her onto 70.

Slight delay for a ball check and change.

Bryce standing up to Bryce now, as Kathryn gets her first over of the final.

Sarah Bryce sees Kathryn go for five off her first over.

Ella McCaughan (61*) had not passed 50 in her previous 10 professional innings, 40 v the opposition at the same ground her highest score in that run.

Maybe the best opposition, the best side she has faced in recent months particularly gets her going, some players just perform best against the best!

She would do well to bat through here whilst her best mate Freya Kemp can provide the acceleration.

Kemp does exactly that, finishing the over with a six off Orla Prendergast.

Freya Kemp is starting to motor, one particular four in this latest over really smashed to the rope.

Without her usual Somerset middle-order finishing teammate Dani Gibson in the England middle-order, she comes in a little earlier for her county, but absolutely loves batting with Ella McCaughan.

Remember these two batting together have been mates who used to go round to each other's family homes from a young age, growing up through county academy cricket together.

Isabelle Duncan
BBC Test Match Special

Kemp is going a bit ballistic out there. She’s looking to get on with it - she’s always got itchy feet.

It's that belligerent style by Kemp, she’s looking dangerous. Lucy Higham will be trying to rein it in.

Your reporter's father trained at St Luke's together with Ella McCaughan's Dad 30+ years ago and am pleased to say I have just received a delighted text from proud parents as their 23-year-old passed a crucial final 50, with many more to come so they desire.

After her injury last summer, and a bit of a struggle for form this season, great to see the talented England A bat in the runs.

She watches Freya Kemp emphatically pull for four first ball after drinks, then nearly is run out with a mix up second ball!

Next ball the calling is far clearer.

Halfway point in this Hampshire innings and they pick up another boundary in this Lucy Higham over, with Freya Kemp pulling powerfully off the back foot.

Kemp is into double figures now as the players halt briefly for a drinks break.

Orla Prendergast sends down her third over and it goes for seven runs, which is very welcome for Hampshire after becoming a little bogged down lately.

Freya Kemp capitalises on an overpitched delivery, punching it straight back past the bowler and into the boundary rope to move on to five, while Ella McCaughan has 57.

Freya Kemp is off the mark straight away, the left-hander swinging Lucy Higham away on the off side for a single that lifts the Hampshire total into three figures.

But the home side will need to rebuild after losing skipper Georgia Adams cheaply just now.

50 for Ella McCaughanpublished at 22 overs

22 overs

Hampshire 98-1 v Blaze

Ella McCaughan raises her bat after pulling Orla Prendergast for two to bring up her half-century from 67 balls.

It's the fifth time in the tournament McCaughan has been past 50 and she's converted one of those to a hundred. Hampshire would love her to repeat that achievement today.

Hampshire haven't yet managed to get on top of Kirstie Gordon, who's bowled six overs straight and conceded only 12 runs in all.

The spinner strays slightly with her final ball of this over, but Georgia Adams' pull shot brings just two runs rather than a boundary.

Back to seam now for The Blaze, with medium-pacer Orla Prendergast brought into the attack and delivering a solid first over.

Prendergast's only blemish is a short ball on leg stump, but Ella McCaughan can only push it for a single and suddenly Hampshire's run-rate, which was at five not so long ago, is down below four and a half.

Kirstie Gordon will be looking to apply more pressure in the aftermath of that wicket and she restricts Hampshire to just a couple of singles.

Suddenly momentum is tilting back in favour of The Blaze after Hampshire's openers had threatened to start accelerating.

Georgia Adams drives her first ball from Lucy Higham straight back at the bowler's stumps, but then pulls the next one for a single to get herself off the mark.

Hampshire will want another sizeable partnership now the captain has joined Ella McCaughan.

Maia Bouchier is back on her feet and facing up to another testing over from Kirstie Gordon.

Bouchier is down the track to the left-arm spinner but then thinks better of trying to drive and plays the ball out defensively. And that is pretty much the story of the over as Gordon completes her second maiden.