Match Preview and Squad News: South East Stars vs Thunder
Squad News
Thunder return to 50 over action following the mid-season break for the Hundred as they take on South East Stars at Guildford.
Ireland Captain Laura Delany has recently signed as an overseas replacement for West Indian all-rounder Deandra Dottin for the final block of games in 2023.
Left arm spinner Hannah Jones is included in a first team squad for the first time this season after recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in the winter of 2022.
Seamers Mahika Gaur and Kate Cross are unavailable for selection due to international commitments with England in their series against Sri Lanka.
Sophie Ecclestone, not selected in England's squad for the Sri Lanka series for rotational purposes, is now unavailable following a shoulder injury suffered before Manchester Originals' final game of the Hundred.
Squad
Ellie Threlkeld*, Olivia Bell, Danni Collins, Naomi Dattani, Laura Delany, Phoebe Graham, Laura Jackson, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Fi Morris, Daisy Mullan, Tara Norris, Seren Smale
Match preview
The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy returns to the summer schedule with a bang as far as Thunder are concerned - and they are confident they can boost their hopes of knockout qualification with a win over South East Stars.
Thunder take on the Stars at Guildford on Tuesday (10.30am) in a repeat of the opening match of the summer when the Stars won at Emirates Old Trafford.
But, more significant than a revenge mission, captain Ellie Threlkeld and coach Paul Shaw take their squad down south knowing a win will do wonders for their bid to finish in the top three places.
Make no mistake, Thunder have it all to do. In fact, a defeat in their 11th game of 14 in the group stage, would leave them with a mountain to climb. However, they are very much taking a ‘glass half full view’, with a second win very much in their sights.
Assistant coach Stephen Parry said: “We’ve got plenty to play for, and we go down there with a lot of belief. The girls have played some really good cricket this summer, and we qualified for T20 Finals Day as well.
“What’s really nice is that we’re talking about still having a chance at this stage of the season. In the past, that hasn’t really happened.”
In terms of the mathematics, the top three qualify for the knockout stages later this month.
Stars are currently sat third on 26 points with five wins from 10, while Thunder are sixth with 17 and one win added to two ties and four No Results. There are 20 points still on offer.
So, a win would put Thunder right in the mix.
“It will be another bus journey down there, and it will be a good fun one coming back if we can get the win,” smiled the former England men’s spinner.
Parry has just finished his duties as head coach of the Manchester Originals women in the Hundred. They had, in many ways, quite a similar campaign to Thunder’s in the RHF Trophy.
They were hurt by rain, played some good cricket but lost out in some key moments.
They were some obvious highlights. Fi Morris taking 5-7 in the win over Birmingham Phoenix at Emirates Old Trafford was one. She claimed the best ever figures in the history of the Hundred - men or women. The all-rounder then hit a campaign-ending fifty in the defeat against Southern Brave.
“Fi was absolutely fantastic, and hats off to her,” said Parry. “She’s worked really hard since joining Thunder last winter and deserves all the success she’s had.
“The progress of the Originals, of Thunder as well, is obvious.
“As much as you know me, I want to win every game and every moment. But this won’t happen overnight. We have to take some pain to get the gain.
“The challenging thing is that whilst we’re improving, so is everybody else. That’s credit to women’s cricket. But we are closing that gap. There’s no doubt about that.
“That's credit to the club. They’ve been incredible. It’s such a special place. Hats off to the board, to Daniel Gidney and those guys working hard in the background to do what they can to push forwards women’s cricket in this region.
“We also have to pay credit to Paul Shaw and everything he’s done to lay some really good foundations. He’s spoken to us about doing that as a coaching staff - myself and Craig White.”
Thunder will be without Mahika Gaur and Kate Cross because of England T20 duty, while overseas all-rounder Deandra Dottin has returned home to take part in the Caribbean Premier League.
Fellow all-rounder Laura Delany, the Ireland captain, has been drafted in as her replacement.
A host of players, not just the aforementioned Morris, have returned from Hundred duty.
Seren Smale, for example, was a part of the Southern Brave squad which won the competition, though the England Under 19s wicketkeeper-batter didn’t play.
“You look at Seren, she’s been around a successful environment in the Hundred with the Brave, and she’ll have learnt so much. Hopefully she can bring something back to us at Thunder.
“The more we produce our own and they get picked up in things like the Hundred, it’s only going to push us forwards very quickly.”
And on his own experiences of taking charge of the Originals, Parry added: “It was a seriously, seriously good experience.
“There were good things, there were bad things, but that’s professional sport. The girls are great, and I’m learning. Not everything I do is right, but that’s the same for everyone - players or coaches.
“We all want to drive women’s cricket forwards. That’s the main thing.”