Aussies Knott and Jonassen dominate as The Blaze get home against Yorkshire in Women's Blast opener

Yorkshire will look back on this as a match they could have won, the winning runs being one of two boundaries that were mis-fielded by Erin Thomas, for example, that could have led to a different result.

That’s not to blame Thomas for the defeat, as similar mistakes were made by others and if anything, the Tykes should be encouraged by most of what they produced.

It wasn’t the best of starts for the White Rose, with openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Erin Thomas both back in the sheds with just 25 on the board but the response was immediate through Sterre Kalis and, in particular, the outstanding Jonassen.

The Aussie knows her game and her scoring areas so well that she was able to put some indifferent bowling to the sword in very quick time, reverse sweeping to great effect off Knott, regularly finding gaps and showing her teammates both how to attack and also how to soak up the good deliveries from the opposition when necessary.

Kalis got in on the act with a lovely lofted drive plus a cut shot off the left arm spin of Kirstie Gordon. As the pair raced to a healthy partnership there was only one real scare, when Jonassen had to dive back into her crease at the non-striking end to avoid a run out mix up.

Yorkshire’s Queenslander brought up her half century in just 28 balls, going to the landmark with a lovely late cut but was then caught off her next ball by Tammy Beaumont at deep mid wicket off the bowling of Charley Phillips for 52. It was her fifth time to a half century or beyond in just eight innings for Yorkshire.

With almost nine overs remaining, it was a big blow to the Yorkshire hopes but the Dutch international then picked up the baton and ran with it, driving, scooping and hammering a square cut for three successive boundaries off medium pacer Kathryn Bryce.

Ami Campbell hasn’t had a great start to the season with the bat but there were signs here that she’s getting into gear, the left hander hitting Lucy Higham for two lovely boundaries through the covers, one over the top and one drilled past the infield. She was eventually out for 30 from 22 balls.

Prior to that, Kalis, who’d survived a drop at mid off on 45, then lobbed a catch to Georgia Elwiss in a similar position and the fielder made no mistake, Gordon picking up the wicket.

With ‘chip-ins’ towards the end by Maddie Ward and Beth Langston the Tykes posted a competitive 179-5. Game on.

The hosts got off to a steady start but Yorkshire were boosted by the early wicket of England star Beaumont, who missed a cut shot and was bowled by Holly Garton for just eight, when the score was on 25.

Marie Kelly hammered a quick 29 off just 26 balls before she was stumped by Winfield-Hill off Olivia Thomas.

17-year-old leg spinner Garton then added the similarly significant wicket of Kathryn Bryce with much the same ball as had accounted for Beaumont and the visitors began to believe it could be their afternoon.

The Blaze responded through Knott and Georgia Elwiss, Maddie Ward and Liv Thomas both going around the park, to give the home support the scent of success.

Together they passed 50 in just 26 balls, to really kick on in mid innings, Beth Langston unable to stem the flow of runs and even Jonassen unable to operate at below the required rate.

Sterre Kalis then produced one of the great catches at long on, taking the ball over her head and falling backwards just inside the rope at the Radcliffe Road End, Elwiss going for 20 and becoming the third victim for Garton.

Sadly though, it wasn’t to be, with Sarah Bryce and Emma Jones bringing it home for the hosts, with an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 28 off just 15 balls and although Jones was out in the final over, The Blaze got home with three balls to spare.

Post-match, Charli Knott said: “It’s great to start the T20 with a win. There is always a little bit of extra pressure when it is your first game for a new team, so I was happy to be able to make a contribution.

“I know Jess Jonassen very well, she’s been a team-mate for a long time, so it was no surprise to see her scoring some runs, especially since she’s been hitting hundreds for fun in the 50-over competition.

“But we always felt that it was a good wicket, and so we were confident we could chase down 180. The key was to not let the rate get away from us and we were able to do that, and it was a very important knock from Sarah Bryce there at the end to get us over the line.”

Yorkshire’s Sterre Kallis said: “We had a really good score, we thought, on a good pitch. We always aim to get 185 on the board, so I think that was all right.

“The pockets on this ground are quite big, and I thought The Blaze ran really well between the wickets. I think we let ourselves down a bit with that. I also think we let ourselves down in the field, and there were a few overs where we went for too many.

“Holly's been brilliant. She’s been with us at training for a few games before, and she's performed really well in the Academy. She deserved to get an opportunity, and today her three wickets were their three big batters. So I’m so pleased - she had a brilliant day out.”

The Blaze: 12 Tammy Beaumont; 23 Marie Kelly; 17 Kathryn Bryce; 34 Georgia Elwiss; 26 Charli Knott; 8 Sarah Bryce (wk); 88 Emma Jones; 33 Ella Claridge; 24 Kirstie Gordon (Capt); 7 Lucy Higham; 19 Charley Phillips.

Yorkshire: 58 Lauren Winfield-Hill (Capt/wk); 66 Erin Thomas; 21 Jess Jonassen; 22 Sterre Kalis; 6 Ami Campbell; 44 Olivia Thomas; 19 Maddie Ward; 42 Beth Langston; 77 Ria Fackrell; 72 Rachel Slater; 17 Holly Garton.