Durham Women are looking to continue their strong start to the Vitality Blast when they head to Nottingham to take on The Blaze tomorrow at 11am.
Dani Hazell has named an unchanged squad of 13 to face the Trent Bridge side after Friday’s 27-run victory over Warwickshire Bears.
Durham sit fifth in the women’s T20 Blast after two wins from their opening three games while The Blaze are second in the table with three wins from three.
The Blaze were last in action on Wednesday when they defeated Warwickshire Bears by four wickets at Edgbaston.
Words from Bess Heath
We speak about it, partnerships can be what win you the games.
We said when we were out in the middle (Heath and Emily Windsor), this is where we need to knuckle down, make smart decisions and earn the right to have a bit of fun at the end’.
It’s nice to get a career best, but it’s always nice to get out with the girls and get a win.
We thought 141 was enough, but we knew Warwickshire were also good enough to get that. We still had to be very clinical with the ball and in the field.
We learnt from the first innings that it was quite hard (against pace off). They did that quite well. We took wickets quite consistently, and that took the game our way.”
Squad v The Blaze (31 May)
Hollie Armitage*, Leah Dobson, Abi Glen, Heather Graham, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers, Grace Thompson, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers, Emily Windsor.
Opposition Corner
Captain: Kirstie Gordon
Overseas players: Charli Knott (Australia, all)
2025 finish: Semi-finalists
2025 leading run-scorer: Georgia Elwiss (412)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Kathryn Bryce (17)
Key winter moves: The Blaze have signed talented Australia A all-rounder Charli Knott, who brings experience of the Women’s Premier League in India, the Women’s Big Bash and The Hundred, and hit five white-ball half-centuries for Hampshire Women last summer. Meanwhile, Emma Jones, formerly with Surrey, can provide useful runs in the middle order.
The big question: The Blaze, like others, will be depleted because of the clash with the Women’s T20 World Cup. They lose England’s Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ireland’s Orla Prendergast, although it may be the unavailability of their three Scots, Kathryn and Sarah Bryce and Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon, that is the most keenly felt. Can those left step up a level?
Wildcard watch: United States international Ella Claridge, whose country missed out on qualification for the T20 World Cup, has a chance to make her presence felt in the Vitality Blast. The 24-year-old wicketkeeper batter will carry some responsibility in the absence of Scotland’s Sarah Bryce and England’s Amy Jones but has proved before that she can rise to the challenge under pressure.
Final thought: Even stripped of six internationals, The Blaze still have the capacity to mount a challenge for silverware. Marie Kelly, a very capable top-order batter and excellent fielder, will captain the side, with experienced England batter Tammy Beaumont as a sounding board as well as a key source of runs. Charley Phillips, Grace Ballinger and Cassidy McCarthy are three top-notch seamers, while former England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss has enjoyed a couple of outstanding seasons with bat and ball.
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 The Blaze YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.