Durham return to Banks Homes Riverside tomorrow for their fifth game in the Vitality T20 Blast competition – when they take on Birmingham Bears in Chester le Street.
Dani Hazell has named a 15 player squad for tomorrow’s double header clash which gets underway at 2:30pm, which includes the addition of Leah Dobson.
Dobson is in line to make her Vitality Blast T20 debut for Durham having been injured through the early stages of the competition.
Hazell’s side take on the Bears for the second time in the Blast – having lost at Edgbaston in the opening round of games last Sunday after Laura Harris scored an explosive 16-ball half-century.
The Bears have played five games so far in the tournament with two wins and two losses along with a tie in their opening game against the Blaze at Trent Bridge.
Durham sit in seventh place in the group with one win and three losses and currently have four points from the opening four games played.
Words from Mady Villiers
Squad v Bears (11 June)
Hollie Armitage*, Suzie Bates, Leah Dobson, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bess Heath+, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers, Lizzie Scott, Grace Thompson, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers
Opposition Corner
Captain: Georgia Davis
Overseas players: Laura Harris (Australia, full competition)
Key winter moves: Bears entered the new era needing to keep up without the Joneses (Amy and Eve) after they departed to The Blaze and Lancashire respectively. That drained the top order of experience which the signing of Laura Harris is designed to rectify while Sterre Kalis is on a season’s loan from Yorkshire.
The big question: Consistency has proved elusive for the Bears in the early weeks of the season so can they find enough to be contenders for the T20 title? They have individuals capable of match-winning exploits, and have pulled off some eye-catching run chases in the 50-over comp, but is the group good enough to challenge?
Wildcard watch: Amu Surenkumar, a highly talented, 18-year-old all-rounder from Rugby School who can change games with bat or ball. Played for England Under-19s earlier this year has the ability to make a big impact if her chance arrives after the important matter of her A Levels are out of the way!
Final thought: A fast start is always a massive asset in a group campaign and Warwickshire have been handed a very tough opening with away games at The Blaze and Essex. Emerge from that double-header with at least one win and who knows what might happen for a team whose highly-talented spin trio – Georgia Davis, Hannah Baker and Charis Pavely – can put any side under pressure?
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 match will also be available on Durham’s YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.