Lancashire Women v Essex Women | Surrey Women V Essex Women
Vitality Blast
Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester | Kia Oval, Kennington
Saturday 05 July, 11am | Sunday 06 July, 12pm
After a 15-day break from competitive cricket, the Essex Women return to action with back-to-back Vitality Blast fixtures this weekend.
Andy Tennant’s squad return to the Vitality Blast campaign with two fixtures in quick succession, facing Lancashire at Old Trafford on Saturday before returning south into the capital for part one of the double header against Surrey.
Last time out, Essex Women defeated Durham Women by six wickets at Chester-le-Street as the Eagles climbed into fifth place, reaching distance of the top four.
In the eighth round of the competition, a devastating new ball burst from seamers Esmae MacGregor and Kate Coppack helped Essex snap a four-game losing streak in the Vitality Blast as they eased past Durham at the Banks Homes Riverside.
MacGregor and Coppack claimed two wickets apiece as Durham, inserted into bat first, slipped to 17 for four in four overs, only able to recover to an under-par 101 for eight total. Both fast bowlers finished with two each wickets apiece.
Essex then reeled that in with comfort, with three overs remaining, to secure their first win in five and their third win in eight overall. Former England wicketkeeper-opener Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored with 29 off 22 balls.
Twenty-year-old MacGregor is the leading wicket-taker in this season’s Blast with 18, and she put the squeeze on the home top order with two for 16 from four testing overs.
The Inside Line: Eva Gray
Squad
Head Coach Andy Tennant has named a 13-player squad to travel to Lancashire and Surrey this weekend.
Captain Grace Scrivens and all-rounder Jodi Grewcock are unavailable due to their call-ups to the England Women A squad for the T20 series against New Zealand A.
In Scrivens’ absence, vice-captain Eva Gray will lead the team for the first time.
The Opposition: Lancashire
Captain: Ellie Threlkeld
Overseas Players: Katie Mack (Australia, first three group matches), Alana King (Australia, from match four onwards)
Key Moves: Lancashire were busy ahead of 2025. Eve Jones arrived and is currently one of county cricket’s in-form batters. She’s been joined by England fringe fast bowler Grace Potts and Scotland spinner Darcey Carter. Batter Katie Mack will start the Blast before being replaced by one of the competition’s standout overseas signings, her fellow Australian Alana King, the superstar leg-spinner.
The Big Question: Lancashire have started the summer brilliantly, winning six of eight matches in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, before lifting the T20 County Cup. Can they transfer that momentum into the Blast? If so, they will definitely be a force. They look to be well balanced, with strength across all disciplines. In the regional era, Thunder’s only knockout cricket came courtesy of a 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day appearance.
Wildcard Watch: Left-armer Sophie Morris is another one off a Lancashire spin-bowling conveyor belt which has nurtured Sophie Ecclestone, Olivia Bell and Hannah Jones in recent times. The 21-year-old played in the regional Charlotte Edwards Cup during the last two summers and, in a 2022 Academy T20 friendly, returned an astonishing 6-0. Her maiden senior five-for came against Durham earlier this month.
Final Thought Ashes rivals, Thunder team-mates. You could well see a spin bowling partnership of Sophie Ecclestone and Alana King during this summer’s Vitality Blast. Aussie leggie King loves Emirates Old Trafford. In 2021, she took a hat-trick there whilst playing for Trent Rockets in The Hundred, a particularly proud moment given it was at the scene of her idol Shane Warne’s ball of the century to Mike Gatting in 1993.
The Opposition: Surrey
Captain: Bryony Smith
Overseas Players: Grace Harris (Australia, available from June 5 until the end of competition)
Key Moves: The big arrivals over the close season are England international Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Australian Grace Harris, both free-scoring batters who fit the profile of a side renowned for aggressive run-making. Alice Monaghan also comes in from Hampshire to offer options with both bat and ball.
The Big Question: How will they fit all the batters in? An already strong line-up now includes Harris and Wyatt-Hodge, the former possessing a higher strike rate (155) in international T20 than any batter achieved domestically in the format last year. Bowling stocks, be that seam or spin are hardly light either, even with skipper Smith and vice-captain Tash Farrant currently battling injuries.
Wildcard Watch: Emma Jones. The all-rounder, a student of veterinary surgery at Cambridge, has had three separate contracts with The Hundred franchises, but been held back by injury. Trent Rockets have kept faith for 2025 when Jones’ height with the ball and long levers with the bat may mean that faith is rewarded.
Final Thought Under the guise of the South East Stars, the bulk of this group made Finals Day in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in three of the four years it was contested. Only Sophia Dunkley and Alice Davidson-Richards will miss the start of the competition on England duty while rival sides are harder hit. Smith returned from injury during the T20 County Cup and her captaincy and powerplay hitting will be valuable to lead a squad with enough class and depth to be a contender.
Group Preview
Click here for a team-by-team preview of each of the group contenders.
How To Watch
If you are not accompanying the Eagles up the M6 north to Manchester or in London for the clash against Surrey, both matches will be live-streamed on the hosts’ YouTube channel and will be available to watch through the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
A report will be published on the Club website at the conclusion of the game, while live updates and highlights will be provided on the Essex Cricket social media channels.
Purchase your England v India tickets!
The England Men under 19s are playing in a four day Test match at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground this summer!
They will face India Men under 19s, including 14-year old IPL superstar Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who became the youngest player bought in an IPL auction after being selected by Rajasthan Royals. He is also the youngest player to score a century in IPL history!
Day one will begin on July 20 with the final day concluding on July 23.
Tickets are still available via our Ticket Site, so have a browse and get yourself down to CM2 to watch the next generation of international cricketers.
