Northern Diamonds frustrated as they come up short against The Blaze at Scarborough

Blaze were boosted by a number of valuable contributions but Gammon’s 52-ball effort was the most important in only her second appearance for the region.

Despite failing to reach 200, Diamonds would still have been confident at halfway given the Blaze had been bowled out for 135, 126 and 87 in losing their first three matches. But Scarborough native Leah Dobson’s 54 wasn’t enough.

No doubt, the Blaze had the better of the batting conditions, despite the pitch being used. Morning mist was replaced by afternoon sunshine. Having said that, they played the much better cricket, with Gammon and Ella Claridge (26no) sharing 61 from 105-6.

Halifax-born Blaze all-rounder Teresa Graves also had a good day back in her birth county. Having struck once with her seamers, she then hit 33.

The Diamonds elected to bat first, looking down at the pitch rather than up at the sky.

But they stumbled badly from 32-0, losing four for 22, including star duo Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage for single-figure scores.

Kirstie Gordon had a hand in three of the first four wickets.

She caught Winfield-Hill off seamer Grace Ballinger struck before bowling Armitage with a beauty that pitched on middle and leg and clipped off-stump. She then had Emma Marlow stumped for 29.

Dobson curbed her natural attacking instincts during her 85-ball innings to drag the Diamonds up to a defendable target.

She shared 62 for the eighth wicket with Abi Glen, whose 38 off 31 balls recovered things from 120-7 after 36 overs.

Six of the seven bowlers employed by Gordon struck on a pitch showing signs of uneven bounce and turn.

Seamer Sophie Munro was excellent with 3-28 from 8.4 overs, while off-spinner Lucy Higham took two wickets.

Munro bowled Erin Burns, Glen and Jess Woolston, the latter two as part of a late Diamonds collapse of their last three wickets to fall for only 11 runs.

Graves and Gordon shared 43 inside 11 overs for the first wicket.

Spin was always likely to be the biggest weapon for the Diamonds, and Katie Levick with 1-13 from her 10 overs of leg-spin and wily off-spin of Burns with 3-40 gave them hope.

Levick made the breakthrough with her second ball when he she had Gordon caught behind down leg before Burns bowled Gordon and had Daisy Mullan caught and bowled off the leading edge as the score fell to 74-3 in the 22nd over.

And when Phoebe Turner had Marie Kelly caught behind for 20 with 98 on the board, the nerves were jangling for Blaze.

Those heightened further when Munro was run out and de Klerk caught at short fine-leg off seamer Woolston - 105-6 after 33.

When Gammon fell at 166-7 in the 47th over, the hard work had seemingly been done.

But Burns struck again, and the target became five off the last over, Higham hitting the winning run.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​