The Blaze 208 (Kelly 40, Lee 4-51) beat Southern Vipers 188 (Southby 36, Prendergast 3-38) beat by 20 runs

A stunning team bowling performance kept The Blaze in the hunt to secure a place in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy knockout stage - while Southern Vipers botched their first chance to confirm progression.

Marie Kelly's 40 headlined a hard-working batting effort to reach 208 on a tough pitch to force runs on, with spinner Ava Lee taking a career-best four for 51 on her 19th birthday.

Fast bowlers Orla Prendergast claimed three for 38 and Kathryn Bryce took two for 18, but it was Kirstie Gordon (two for 26) and her fellow spinners that stopped Vipers from getting away - despite Emily Windsor's grafting 41.

The Blaze remain fifth, but closed the gap to South East Stars to five points, while Vipers stay top and in prime position to reach the semi-finals.

Vipers stuck The Blaze in, and piled on the pressure with the new ball, with Sarah Bryce bowled for an unconvincing nine off 20 balls.

Georgie Boyce, on her first appearance of the season, was equally unable to get the innings moving, although she had the mitigation of injuring her leg - which forced her to retire.

Kathryn Bryce attempted to release the pressure with a straight six but had the top of her off stump struck by Georgia Elwiss.

The Blaze's problem was building partnerships. Ten of the 11 stands passed double figures but only Kelly and Prendergast's alliance made it to 38 before the Irish debutant was Lee's first victim.

Kelly was the only batter who seemed confident on a two-paced pitch, especially on the drive. But with a half-century in sight she wobbled.

She was dropped by Georgia Adams, but next ball Adams redeemed herself by pinning her in front, before the Vipers skipper had Ella Claridge caught behind while slog sweeping.

Lee then took over, with the assistance of Linsey Smith at long on - the pair coming together on three occasions to dismiss Lucy Higham, Gordon and Josie Groves.

Despite clearly being in pain, Boyce returned after Cassidy McCarthy had been caught at midwicket - with Kathryn Bryce as runner - and put on a crucial 24 with Grace Ballinger, before a late run-out ended the innings on 208.

Rhianna Southby was pushed up to open for the first time for Vipers and looked at ease, as she maturely marshalled the early stages of the chase.

But at the other end wickets tumbled as regularly as the visitors had earlier.

Ella McCaughan was leg-before and Adams caught at backward point as Prendergast endeared herself to her new team-mates, before Elwiss' leading edge back to Gordon.

Gordon, with fellow spinners Groves and Higham, constrained Windsor with super-accurate bowling, with the pressure claiming Southby when a misunderstanding with Windsor saw her run out.

Windsor wasn't scared to chew up dot balls during a season-best 41, as she and Norgrove put Vipers in control with a 58-run stand.

But the momentum shifted when Windsor chopped Prendergast on, Mary Taylor was run out and Alice Monaghan was strangled down the legside.

It meant Vipers needed 45 from the last 13 overs, but with 21 still needed they collapsed.

Linsey Smith chipped to mid off and Norgrove - who had taken 50 balls to score her first boundary - was stumped before Lee was lbw to Bryce to give Blaze a tight win.