After a three week break from List A cricket, 50 over cricket returns tomorrow as Durham Women head to Chelmsford to take on Essex in the Metro Bank One Day Cup. [10:30am]
Dani Hazell has named a 13-player squad for match day number nine in the List A format as Durham look to continue their strong recent form from the Vitality Blast.
Heather Graham is in line to make her List A debut for Durham having featured throughout the T20 competition as Durham’s overseas following the departure of Tahlia Wilson to the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Two wins against Somerset and Warwickshire last time out in the Metro Bank One Day Cup has lifted Durham up to fifth in the group with 15 points from three wins.
Durham face an Essex side who are eighth in the group table with three wins having accumulated 12 points from their opening block of 50 over games.
Words from Dani Hazell
It was disappointing to get rained off against Yorkshire, [Tuesday night] but equally, we end this T20 block in a really positive fashion. We’ve played some really good cricket.
We took some good momentum out of the last two 50-over games that we played [Warwickshire and Somerset] and now, this gives us a chance to switch back to that format and make sure that we leave those three games in a good position going into the back end of the season.
50 over cricket is obviously a change of format but winning is a habit, we have to keep doing the things that we have done well over the last few weeks in T20 into the 50 over format.
We get ourselves down to Chelmsford at the weekend and then we look forward to getting back home next week to play at the Riverside again.
Squad v Essex (13 June)
Hollie Armitage*, Abi Glen, Heather Graham, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Harriet Robson, Mia Rogers+, Grace Thompson, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers, Emily Windsor.
Opposition Corner
Captain: Grace Scrivens
Head coach: Stephen Parry
2025 finish: 8th
2025 highest run-scorer: Grace Scrivens (429)
2025 highest wicket-taker: Eva Gray (15)
Winter moves: Former Lancashire and England spinner Stephen Parry has taken over as head coach following Andy Tennant’s exit, with Nick Browne, who recently brought down the curtain on his 13-year stint as a top-order batter for Essex’s men, filling the role of batting coach. On the field, batter Liberty Heap completed her permanent move from Lancashire, while former Essex captain Kelly Castle was released along with Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones.
The big question: In a nutshell, can Browne’s input and experience coax more consistency with the bat from an Essex side who topped 250 just once in last year’s tournament? Grace Scrivens hit back-to-back hundreds at the top of the order, but Jodi Grewcock was the only other batter to pass 50 more than once and Essex must at least ensure they bat out their full allocation of overs more frequently.
Player to watch: The move to Chelmsford may turn out to be just what Liberty Heap needed to reignite her career. Having shown potential with the bat as an England Under-19 player a few years ago, the 22-year-old had stalled at Lancashire, but she made a promising start after joining Essex on loan at the back end of last season, hitting 33 from 37 balls against The Blaze.
Final thought: After finishing bottom of the table in their inaugural season, the only way is up for Essex. However, one of their two group successes was achieved against eventual champions Lancashire, suggesting there’s plenty of potential to do better under a revamped coaching set-up. Essex may also have to find ways of coping without the influential Scrivens if, and more likely when, she graduates to the England side.
Match Centre
The Club’s match centre will be in operation for the fixture with live scorecards, statistics & video highlights as they happen. You can watch the game live via Durham’s match centre and the Essex YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.