Durham Women are back in Chester-le-Street tomorrow night, taking on Lancashire Thunder under lights on home soil in a standalone T20 from 6:30pm.
Dani Hazell has named a squad of 14 for the visit of Lancashire with Harriet Robson dropping out of the 15 from the trip to Hampshire.
Hollie Armitage and Katie Levick will look to continue their strong form, fresh off being named in June’s PCA Team of the Month.
Durham will come up against women’s cricketing royalty in Meg Lanning, with the legendary Australian turning out for the Red Rose in this year’s T20 Blast having scored 325 runs so far.
Hazell’s side remain in contention to qualify for Vitality Blast Finals Day, sitting in fourth place on 22 points with five wins, two losses and one no result from eight games.
Opponents Lancashire sit in ninth place on nine points having claimed two wins and six losses from eight games.
Words from Emily Windsor
I don’t think we got enough runs on that pitch against Hampshire. As a batting unit, we lost wickets consistently and didn’t go on and get a big partnership, which we pride ourselves on. We needed one of the top five batters to go and get a big score and that was ultimately the difference, as that is what Maia Bouchier did.
I initially found it hard to get in but then found there were areas I could cash in, especially using my feet. They bowled well and as a unit we need to reflect on our dismissals. Maybe 150 plus on that wicket would have been a good score.
We always know going to Hampshire is a tough game. When I was here, we made it a fortress for many years. But while it is a tough place to come, it is a place where we have to beat this type of team if we want to win the competition.
Squad v Lancashire Thunder (3 July)
Hollie Armitage*, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Heather Graham, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers+, Charlotte Stubbs, Grace Thompson, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers, Emily Windsor.
Opposition Corner
Captain: Ellie Threlkeld
Overseas player: Meg Lanning (Australia, full campaign)
2025 finish: 4th
2025 leading run-scorer: Emma Lamb (336)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Alana King, Tara Norris (16)
Key winter moves: Talk about statement signing, hey. Lancashire’s capture of Australian batting legend Meg Lanning is not only a boost for to the county’s hopes of Blast glory but also the county game in general. The best players in the world want to come and play here. Happy days. She replaces compatriot Alana King, the leg-spinner who was Thunder’s joint top wicket-taker last year.
The big question: Can Lancashire complete the set? Champions last year in both the Vitality County T20 Cup and then the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, this is the missing one they would love to put into the Emirates Old Trafford trophy cabinet. That they fell short of a place at Finals Day last year really stung a side who are hungry for sustained success.
Wildcard watch: Grace Johnson. Not an automatic pick in Thunder’s XI, but perhaps more likely given the impending absence of Scotland duo Ailsa Lister and Darcey Carter because of T20 World Cup duty. An Academy graduate who bowls seam and bats in the middle order, the now 21-year-old captained Lancashire’s U18s to two national titles in 2024.
Final thought: It certainly hasn’t been the start to the season Lancashire were wanting, with batting fragilities leaving them with an uphill task to defend their One-Day Cup title. They will be banking on Meg Lanning’s presence to really give that area of their team some oomph in the Blast. Friday July 10 looms as a historic day for the county as they host a televised T20 Roses double header at Emirates Old Trafford. The women open a blockbuster day with an afternoon clash against Yorkshire.
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 Durham Cricket YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.