MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS: Thunder vs Blaze, Charlotte Edwards Cup
Mahika Gaur has been hailed as “special” talent as the Thunder fast bowler chases success with her region and an England dream.
That is the view of Martin Speight, the director of cricket at Sedbergh School, where the 17-year-old Reading-born UAE international is currently marrying academia with progressing her game.
Left-armer Gaur, nicknamed ‘Two-metre Mahika’ by her Thunder team-mates, stands at well over 6ft tall and has impressed all comers in her first four senior regional appearances this summer, taking five wickets (she only bowled in three due to rain).
She will get another chance to impress when Thunder face the Blaze in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at Emirates Old Trafford on Thursday (4.30pm). It is the main course on a double header T20 day with the Lancashire men, who host Leicestershire in the Vitality Blast at 12.30pm.
The day has been entitled Empower Play, with a £1 of each ticket sold going to female participation initiatives in conjunction with the Lancashire Cricket Foundation.
This will be a fixture which is likely to see current England superstars Sophie Ecclestone and Nat Sciver-Brunt do battle - the world’s best spinner versus the world’s best all-rounder.
But don’t be surprised to see Gaur join them in an England shirt in the not too distant future.
Former county wicketkeeper-batter Speight, who developed and continues to work with current England men’s batter Harry Brook in his time at Sedbergh, certainly thinks a route to the top is a distinct possibility for Thunder’s talented teenager.
“Mahika wants to play for England,” said Speight. “She’s only 17, but you’d think if she progresses how we hope over the next year or two then she’ll be there and thereabouts.
“She was born in Reading, and that’s a big plus point. She doesn’t have to wait five years for qualification.
“She’s worked hard all winter. She was down at Manchester on Wednesday afternoon’s, working with Paul Shaw, Craig White and all the guys down there.
“On top of that, she comes in and works with us - myself and Asher Hart - for probably 15 hours a week.
“We’ve done a huge amount of work on her batting to improve that.
“With her bowling, we’ve worked on her front side and release position so that she can swing the ball back in instead of just pushing it across.
“She’s probably bowling at mid sixties now. If we can put another 8-10 mph on her over the next year - at her height and what she can do with the ball - she will be a different level.
“Is there anyone else in the women’s game who bowls left-arm and swings it back in at her height? I don’t think so. Not that I know. She has something special.
“But, as with anything - we all know, you can have talent and physicality but it’s how hard you work. And she does.
“She’s a very bright girl who keeps up with her studies and does well in that. With her cricket, she also works incredibly hard. It’s not just ability or natural gift.”
Gaur was spotted by Lancashire’s staff, chiefly Warren Hegg, at the Dubai Expo in early winter 2021.
“She was looking to come over here for sixth-form studies anyway,” continued Speight. “But Lancashire spotted her, and Will Purser, who was working there, rang me up.
“I was actually out in Dubai for the T20 World Cup final. A friend of mine had tickets. I’d popped out on the Friday night.
“Anyway I got a call on the Saturday saying, ‘Is there any chance you can contact the family? Heggy’s spotted someone we think has a lot of talent.’
“So I did on the back of what they’d seen, and she came over a month later and chose to come to us at Sedbergh.”
Gaur claimed three wickets on debut in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy game against Western Storm at Cardiff last month and played in Sunday’s Charlotte Edwards opener against the same opponents at Taunton, a defeat in which she took 1-28 from four overs. She removed former England batter Fran Wilson.
“She’s already good with the new ball, and her skillset with slower balls and yorkers are already pretty good,” said Speight. “She’s also a good fielder - good hands and throws well.
“She’s 6ft 2inches and is a bit all arms and legs at the moment, but she will fill her frame out and become stronger and quicker. Then, I would think she’ll be something pretty special.”
Around her Thunder commitments, Gaur will play in Sedbergh School’s first team, where Brook made waves a few years back. Current Lancashire men’s quick Tom Aspinwall is also a product of the same system.
“She trains and plays with the boys here, and it’s the right fit for her at this time,” said Speight.
Not only is Gaur nicknamed Two-metre Mahika, her Thunder team-mates have also dubbed her ‘Magic Meeks’: “She’s got some unbelievable magic tricks up her sleeve,” said Fi Morris recently.
Speight added: “I haven’t seen any of that yet, but I’ll have to ask her and give her some stick about it.
“She’d have to pick the right teacher if she’s going to pull one of those out, though!
“Look, she’s a lovely girl - very grounded and very clever. I’m sure she will do exceptionally well.”
Blaze won their opening CE Cup game against South East Stars at Beckenham on Saturday, in which Sciver-Brunt claimed two wickets and hit 19 on debut.
Chasing 161, former Thunder vice captain Georgie Boyce top-scored with 63 not out in a five-wicket win.
Opposing player to watch
Saturday against the Stars was a low key Blaze debut for Nat Sciver-Brunt, having moved to the region from the Northern Diamonds over the winter to be closer to her Loughborough home.
Thunder kept her quiet last year in this competition when she played for the Diamonds in a clash at Sale, Laura Jackson bowling her for two in a home win.
Let’s hope we have the same success against the Tokyo-born all-rounder, who is wearing different colours in 2023 as she prepares for next month’s Ashes.
Previous meeting
Thunder and Blaze still haven’t met in regional cricket, with a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy game at Welbeck Colliery rained off at the start of the month.
They have replaced Lightning as a region, taking over running of the region from Loughborough University at the start of this season.
Thunder beat Lightning in last season’s Charlotte Edwards Cup at Emirates Old Trafford in early June, winning by five wickets thanks to Sophie Ecclestone’s stunning 5-15.
The England left-arm spinner’s career best T20 haul bowled the Lightning out for 103 in 18 overs before Emma Lamb led the chase with 42 at the top of the order.
Thunder won with 4.4 overs remaining. Georgie Boyce was in the Thunder team that day, but she will play for the Blaze this week.
Squad News
Ellie Threlkeld*, Olivia Bell, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Naomi Dattani, Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Alex Hartley, Liberty Heap, Emma Lamb, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Seren Smale