It’s crunch time in the Women’s Metro Bank One Day cup as Durham head to Preston to take on Lancashire in the penultimate group stage game of 2026.
Dani Hazell has named a squad of 13 as Durham travel to AO Farington Cricket Ground for their final away group stage fixture of the season, in what is a must win clash if Durham are to remain in contention for the knockout stages.
Danielle Collins is unavailable for selection due to her currently being on loan from Lancashire and therefore is unable to play against the Red Rose.
Durham are seventh in the group table with 24 points having won five games so far this campaign while Lancashire are fifth with six wins from 13 games and sit on 27 points.
Words from Hollie Armitage
As a batting unit, we found the pitch quite difficult to bat on against Hampshire. There wasn’t much in the pitch. It’s a hard one to reflect on really as I’ll have to sit and have a think to know what actually happened today to be honest.
The total we got, we thought it was competitive, but we knew that if we took a couple of early wickets that we’d be in with a shout. It wasn’t to be and a brilliant innings by Gads (Georgia Adams) to see her side home.
(On Eleanor Larosa’s 50) She’s been spectacular since she came over. I think I’ve played a little bit with her in South Australia and I’ve loved the way she goes about her business. She’s a clean striker of the ball, she’s young, she’s been adding heaps of value not only on the field but off the field as well.
We’ve got two very big games. I don’t know what’s happening in the table at the moment, but I know that they are must win games. Then we might have to rely on someone else as well, but it’s very important. We want to win as many games of cricket as possible and keep improving these little areas that we need to improve on.
Squad v Lancashire (6 September)
Hollie Armitage*, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Eleanor Larosa, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers+, Harriet Robson, Grace Thompson, Sophia Turner, Emily Windsor
Opposition Corner
Captain: Ellie Threlkeld
Head coach: Chris Read
2025 finish: Champions
2025 highest run-scorer: Emma Lamb (794)
2025 highest wicket-taker: Grace Potts (16)
Winter moves: September’s final hero Gaby Lewis returns as overseas, Ireland’s captain having hit a stunning unbeaten 141 in chasing 289 at Hampshire to complete the County T20 and One Day Cup double. Fellow opener Tilly Kesteven, star of May’s County Cup final against Surrey – has signed her maiden pro contract. Experienced seamer Phoebe Graham has retired into a pathway coaching role, joining new senior bowling coaches Mattie McKiernan and Scott Boswell.
The big question: Can Lancashire go one step further and complete the treble? It will be a huge ask, of course, despite the immense quality they have. But the Red Rose were frustrated at missing out on a Finals Day place in the Vitality Blast last year and want to rectify that in 2026. Largely speaking, though, the hunters are now the hunted. It’s a challenge they are excited to tackle.
Player to watch: The obvious one would be Emma Lamb. Her form with the bat was sensational, sailing beyond 1,000 runs in all competitions. However, we know all about the England star. Instead, let’s look at dynamic Scotland batter Ailsa Lister. An emerging middle order prospect, the 21-year-old hit the winning runs in the final at Hampshire and has a huge summer ahead, including June’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
Final thought: Aside from the trophy hunt, there are a couple of really exciting things on the horizon for Lancashire. Firstly, Yorkshire’s elevation to Tier 1 introduces the Roses rivalry to the professional era of women’s domestic cricket in England. Also, Emirates Old Trafford will host the Vitality T20 County Cup Finals Day on Saturday 29 August. The defending champions would love to be there
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 Lancashire’s YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.