春梦直播

By Alex Smith, 春梦直播 Reporters Network

Central Sparks tried, so did Sunrisers, Thunder, Northern Diamonds, Western Storm, South East Stars and Southern Vipers, but none of them have managed to put out The Blaze.

At this point, trained firefighters might also fail.

The Blaze are yet to lose since relocating from Loughborough to Trent Bridge and rebranding the Lighting name over the winter.

In fact, they have already won more matches than the eight they managed since the regional centres were set up in 2020.

They went seven from seven in the group stages of the Charlotte Edwards Cup to top the group and book a place in the final at New Road at 4pm on Saturday 鈥� with Thunder and Southern Vipers battling to face them in the 12pm Eliminator.

鈥淚t is pretty special,鈥� admitted overseas all-rounder Nadine de Klerk. 鈥淚f someone had told us that before the season started, we probably wouldn鈥檛 have believed them.

鈥淚t is important to keep winning as once you start losing you kind of find ways to lose. At the moment, we are finding ways to win.

鈥淲hen I came over, I looked at the team on paper and thought it was a really good side. It is a good mix of youth and experience and Kirstie Gordon has been great as captain.

鈥淲e have had some great England international players which have been great and the younger domestic players have stepped up to the plate.鈥�

So, what has been the secret to the titanic turnaround?

De Klerk explained: 鈥淭he main thing has been a winning mindset. It sounds really simple.

鈥淲e have been really attacking and positive all the way through and have done things slightly different than in the past.

鈥淭here are a lot of players who have been together and walked this journey a long way with each other so it is great The Blaze are getting over the line in matches and finding ways to win games.鈥�

There is a hint of modesty from fast bowler de Klerk, with the South African the leading wicket-taker in the Charlotte Edwards Cup with 14 scalps.

She is one of a number of overseas stars who have lit up the tournament, with the likes of compatriots Dane van Niekerk and Chloe Tryon, as well as Australian Erin Burns and Ireland鈥檚 Orla Prendergast bringing their high-quality know-how.

鈥淗aving so many internationals come over to play in the regional competitions is really great for the domestic system in England,鈥� said de Klerk, who admitted she didn鈥檛 know a lot about the regional structure before signing.

鈥淚t allows domestic players to come up against international players which is a great challenge.

鈥淐oming in as an international, you do feel a little bit of added pressure because you want to do well and there is the expectation that the international should really contribute and win games.

鈥淏ut the team has been helpful and not allowed me to feel pressure since I got here.鈥�

De Klerk arrived in the tournament on the back of South Africa鈥檚 incredible run to the Women鈥檚 T20 World Cup final on home turf.

Despite losing to Australia at a sold-out final, De Klerk is planning to use those experiences at Worcester this weekend.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely one of the highlights of my career," said de Klerk. "It is those moment that you dream of as a little girl.

鈥淭here is going to be a few butterflies flying around and even though we鈥檝e won all our games we don鈥檛 want to fly too high.

鈥淧rep-wise it should be the same because what we鈥檝e been doing has been working. I take the final mindset out of it because if it was any other game it would be okay.

鈥淟uckily we have England players who have won World Cups and played in plenty of finals.

鈥淚t is really important for those who have been there before to pass things onto the younger girls, especially in a side with players who haven鈥檛 played in finals before 鈥� it will be a big occasion for them.鈥�

Tammy Beaumont is one of those that knows what playing in a final is like, having been part of England鈥檚 World Cup win in 2017. She and leg spinner Sarah Glenn have both been made available despite ramping up their preparations for the Women鈥檚 Ashes.

De Klerk can鈥檛 escape Ashes-fever. She lives next door to Trent Bridge which has huge billboards up ahead of the Women鈥檚 Test 鈥� which has broken records with 11,000 tickets already sold.

鈥淚 think it is going to be a good series,鈥� said de Klerk. 鈥淚n the last couple of years, England have changed their approach and it kind of reminds me of 鈥楤az Ball鈥�.

鈥淚 think Australia will win and they find ways to win but I鈥檓 going to support England and can鈥檛 wait for it to kick off.鈥�