Durham Women return to Banks Homes Riverside, facing Somerset tomorrow in round four of the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Danielle Hazell has named a squad of 14- including the return of Grace Thompson, to take on a strong Somerset side on Sunday.
The 17-year-old returns to contention after missing out against Surrey on Wednesday.
Trudy Johnson and Mia Rogers remain in contention for their Durham List A debut whilst Lauren Filer, Emily Windsor and Lizzie Scott remain unavailable due to injury.
Somerset won by six wickets against Essex last time out, their second victory in the opening three rounds.
Words from Katie Levick
It was a tough day on Wednesday. We knew what it was going to be like at Beckenham, it’s usually a nice batting track and credit to Surrey. They batted really well and had some key partnerships.
I don’t think we bowled badly, it’s just tough to defend on a pitch like that and we didn’t apply ourselves in the batting innings, it’s as simple as that really. I don’t think we thought that was out of our reach in the second half but losing key wickets up top was always going to be a bit of struggle.
It was nice to see Leah Dobson and Katherine Fraser get some time in the middle and put some runs on the board, I think it’ll put us in good stead. The top order’s had runs recently so now there’s runs all down the order. Hopefully going into the Somerset game everyone’s a bit more confident.
Squad v Somerset (4 May)
Hollie Armitage*, Suzie Bates, Leah Dobson, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bess Heath+, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers, Grace Thompson, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers
Opposition Corner
Coach: Trevor Griffin
Captain: Sophie Luff
The big questions: It remains to be seen how Somerset cope without the outgoing Sophia Smale, Lauren Filer and Nat Wraith, while the availability of England players Heather Knight, Charlie Dean and Dani Gibson could prove the difference between success and failure. Can new signings Laura Jackson and Ellie Anderson successfully plug the gaps?
Player to watch: Amanda-Jade Wellington. The Australian leg spinner is back and determined to improve upon last year’s standout debut season in England. Capable of turning it both ways, she is difficult to score against and has a habit of taking crucial wickets. An adept finisher, she can also be a matchwinner with the bat.
Young gun: Katie Jones. Long considered a precocious talent, the teenage wicketkeeper-batter is ready to realise her potential and establish herself as a regular in the senior side. Capable of scoring valuable mid-order runs, she helped England reach the ICC Under-19 T20 World Cup semi-finals in Malaysia last winter.
Final thought: Littered with international quality, a full-strength Somerset line-up would prove a match for all comers. That said, England call-ups will sap that strength and attaining the consistency of performance required to challenge will be dependent upon less experienced squad members stepping up to the plate. Youthful talent undoubtedly excites, but a lack of depth may hinder West Country prospects.
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 Durham’s YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.