T20 Blast Women: Grace Harris hits third-fastest fifty as Bears beat Durham

Big-hitting Australian Laura Harris gave an instant return on her Warwickshire Bears debut, smashing her way into the record books in a comfortable victory against Durham.

Just six days after landing in the UK to take part in the T20 Blast campaign, and on her first appearance, Harris posted the joint-third fastest half-century in women’s T20 history of 17 balls.

It was a barnstorming performance bettered only by Marie Kelly who reached 50 in 15 balls for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in 2022, and Tess Flintoff whose 16-ball 50 for Melbourne Stars against Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash came in the same year.

Harris’s 53 came in 17 balls with three sixes and eight fours to put her joint third with Lizelle Lee (Surrey Stars against Lancashire Thunder in 2019).

Fellow Bear Davina Perrin contributed a 61-ball 87 as they posted 193-6 at Edgbaston, a target defended comfortably by captain Georgia Davis and her team as they won by 42 runs.

New Zealand’s Suzie Bates made 65 off 41 balls at the top of the order, while England’s Bess Heather (45 off 28) was the only other batter to reach double figures.

It is Bears’ first win in the Blast after sharing a tie with The Blaze in their opening Blast fixture on Friday night.

And the Nottinghamshire outfit also got their campaign up and running with a seven-wicket victory against Lancashire Thunder at Old Trafford in the Saturday’s other fixture.

Katie Mack helped Thunder to 169-4 in their 20 overs with a 37-ball 59.

But Blaze were always in control of the chase thanks to 53 in 43 balls from opener Georgia Elwiss and more runs from Kathryn Bryce, who followed up her opening day 60 with a 29-ball 49.

Victory was secured with five balls to spare and saw the Blaze go second in the table behind Warwickshire Bears.