Durham return to Banks Homes Riverside tomorrow [10:30am] after their thrilling tie over Yorkshire at Scarbrough on Wednesday.
Dani Hazell has named a 14 squad as Durham look for their second win in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Lauren Filer drops out of the 14 which travelled to North Yorkshire earlier in the week, as the England quick now prepares for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Durham sit in seventh position on five points in the One Day Cup with one win from four games having tied on the final ball with Yorkshire last time out.
Nottinghamshire side The Blaze sit in fourth with three wins from four with 13 points having played one less game than Dani Hazell’s side.
The Blaze claimed a three wicket win over Warwickshire in round four as Kirstie Gordon’s side chased down 303 with four balls to spare at Trent Bridge.
Squad v The Blaze (2 May)
Hollie Armitage*,Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bess Heath, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers, Grace Thompson, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner, Mady Villiers, Tahlia Wilson, Emily Windsor.
Words from Phoebe Turner
We knew it was going to be a tough game against Yorkshire, playing in conditions where some of us have played and some of us haven’t.
But I’m really ecstatic about my hundred and it being my first for Durham.
These games can happen, and there are a lot of learnings, like how we fought back from our last game (defeat at Hampshire). Different people have stood up, so, yeah, really good.
Bess batted amazing, and her and Emily created a really good platform for me and Katherine Fraser to come in. The longer we batted, the easier it got.
For me, I knew I needed to bat time, stay in until the end, bat in partnerships and get a big score. We always talk about someone stepping up in crucial moments, and I wanted to be that one.
I love playing at Durham, I can’t wait to get back there on Saturday against The Blaze, having been on the road for the last three matches it will be good to get back home. The Blaze are a strong side, we know they are but we will be looking forward to putting on a show for our fans.
Opposition Corner
Captain: Kirstie Gordon
Head coach: Craig Cumming
2025 finish: 2nd
2025 highest run-scorer: Kathryn Bryce (632)
2025 highest wicket-taker: Kathryn Bryce and Grace Ballinger (18)
Winter moves: Ireland international all-rounder Orla Prendergast, back for a third spell, will play in April and May and at the backend, with Australian all-rounder Charli Knott available for the three Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women fixtures that coincide with the T20 World Cup. England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn has moved to Yorkshire, with all-rounder Emma Jones joining from Surrey.
The big question: Given the wealth of talent in their squad, The Blaze underachieved in 2025, reaching three semi-finals but losing them all. With the benefit of a full pre-season under Kiwi coach Craig Cumming, they are confident of putting that right this year and, with the World Cup likely to deplete their ranks heavily in mid-summer, the One Day Cup might be their best chance of success. Can they hit the ground running?
Player to watch: Cassidy McCarthy’s T20 form has earned her a £65,000 deal with Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred this summer but she also impressed in the One Day Cup last season with 11 wickets in eight appearances. The 23-year-old right-arm seamer, selected for the England Women Performance Programme over the winter, could make an even bigger impact in this year’s competition.
Final thought: Called the Blaze since 2023, having previously evolved from Loughborough Lightning to Lightning, the Trent Bridge-based team will undergo another rebrand in 2027, coming into line with the rest of the professional women’s teams by adopting a county identity. If they can conjure some success in their final season, going out in a Blaze of glory will be a headline that is hard to resist.
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 YouTube channel. Durham Cricket will have full coverage on social media, with a full match report at the close.