The Blaze will play their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Eliminator against South East Stars at Beckenham on Thursday 21 September (10:30am). 

The East Midlands outfit secured their place in the top three of the 50 over table a matter of weeks ago, before confirming second place and a spot in the eliminator with defeat to Southern Vipers at Loughborough, which saw the visitors progress straight through to the final at the hosts’ expense. 

Second place would ordarily host the eliminator, but a lack of suitable, available grounds in the East Midlands means the clash will be played in Kent instead. 

“Our playing and support staff would, naturally, embrace the opportunity to host the fixture, but general unavailability of our usual home grounds, and difficulty reserving a quality venue the need for which we could only confirm at a late stage, mean that wasn't possible on this occasion,” James Cutt, The Blaze’s Director of Cricket, said.

“It is important, too, that we play the fixture at a ground, and on a surface, suitable for the standard of the competition, and Beckenham fits that bill.

“We hope that those following the fortunes of The Blaze will still be able to do so either in person or remotely, with the coverage provided through social media or the live stream arranged by our hosts.”

The Blaze have won seven of their 14 games in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy this season, losing just four. 

Qualification through to the knockout stages of the tournament caps a positive season in which the East Midlands outfit also secured passage straight through to the final of the 20 over Charlotte Edwards Cup, before being beaten in a truncated, weather affected clash at New Road. 

The winner of the clash in Beckenham will travel to Northampton on Sunday to face the Vipers, with the victors crowned Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy champions for 2023.