MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS: Thunder vs Sunrisers
“A lot of the girls are really close friends of mine having been there for three years.”
Thunder v Sunrisers
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
Wednesday May 9, 2023, 10.30am
Sale Cricket Club
Naomi Dattani is ready to test the strength of some friendships this week when she tackles her old Sunrisers side as Thunder go in search of a first Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy victory.
Thunder were oh so close to that win last time out against Central Sparks at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday when the two regions played out a thrilling tie.
It means Thunder head to Sale CC on Wednesday (10.30am) to take on Sunrisers bidding for their first win at the fifth attempt, the final game of the early summer 50-over block.
“It will feel a bit strange, but I’m really looking forward to the battle at the same time,” said all-rounder Dattani, who joined Thunder from Sunrisers as one of six winter recruits.
The 28-year-old top order batter and left-arm seamer from Ealing has taken up a full-time contract with her new side, leaving the one she had played for since the start of regional cricket in 2020.
So far, Thunder have lost two added to a rainy No Result and Saturday’s tie against the Sparks as the visitors fell narrowly short of chasing a revised target of 224 from 45 overs.
Dattani didn’t bowl with the likes of England duo Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone to call upon, but earlier she opened the batting and hit 16 off 18 balls in 234 all out before holing out to deep square-leg off the pace of Issy Wong.
“I’m really proud of everyone for how we fought, and we’re definitely going in the right direction,” said Dattani. “We put up an unbelievable fight in the field, and the bowlers coming back after the rain to get us back in the game.
“We’ll take positives from that into this next game.”
Dattani shared an opening stand of 42 with Emma Lamb (56) against Sparks before the innings was boosted by Ecclestone’s superb middle order 74.
“Lamby up top batted really well again, and Soph through the middle having come into the team,” she reflected.
“That was a really smart and impressive innings, and really encouraging to give us a score to bowl at. If we can hold our partnerships for a little longer in certain phases of the innings, I think that will a massive difference for against Sunrisers.
“I was really happy with how positive I was in my innings, and on another day it would find a gap and be four runs. Onwards and upwards.
“I felt good. I’m really happy, but I’d like to stay in a bit longer, which would make a massive difference. Big partnerships at the top are always important.”
Dattani, who scored 33 on debut against the South East Stars last month, admits she is loving Thunder life having moved north.
“This group of girls are amazing, and I’ve settled in really nicely,” she added.
“The tour away to Dubai and Mumbai was a really good time to bond with the girls on and off the pitch and to get a good understanding of how people work on the pitch.
“The social side as well, I enjoyed everyone’s company.
“I very much feel like I’m myself here, which is nice.”
Sunrisers have so far won one and lost three. In beating two-time champions Southern Vipers in their opening game of 2023, they won only their second competitive fixture in three-and-a-bit seasons of regional cricket.
On Friday, they were beaten by the Stars, bowled out for 64 in reply to 151-9 in 29 overs.
Captained by Kelly Castle, and with Andy Tennant as their new coach, they will field England Under 19s captain Grace Scrivens and England senior off-spinner Mady Villiers.
Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld added: “We executed a lot of things we had spoken about against the Sparks, which was really nice, and I think we really improved on the last two games we played.
“I was pleased how the bowlers went. We bowled straight, and the fielders backed them up.
“We spoke about fine margins in the dressing room, and that’s what it came down to. If we can do everything a little bit better, we will win games.
“We can focus on the positives, keep the group up and go again against Sunrisers.”
Squad News:
Ellie Threlkeld (c/wk), Danielle Collins, Kate Cross, Naomi Dattani, Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Phoebe Graham, Alex Hartley, Liberty Heap, Laura Jackson, Emma Lamb, Fi Morris, Seren Smale
Opposing player to watch
Opening batter Grace Scrivens captained the England Under 19s to the T20 World Cup final in South Africa in January, where they were beaten by India.
The opening batter and off-spinner, 19, was named the player of the tournament. She was the second leading run-scorer with 293, ahead of someone such as Shafali Verma.
Scrivens has scores of 67 and 39 to her name in four RHF Trophy innings so far this season, with her 67 coming in the opening day win over two-time champions Southern Vipers.
It would be a major surprise if she doesn’t progress her career to senior England honours in years to come.
Previous meeting
Last season’s RHFT meeting between these two was abandoned without a ball bowled at Northampton, while the only other 50-over clash between the two was won by Thunder at Chester Boughton Hall in May 2021.
That was the first of three meetings between the two teams that season, the other two coming in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. Thunder won the first of the T20 fixtures in July thanks to a stunning 111 not out from Emma Lamb, who also took 3-16 in a 71-run win at Emirates Old Trafford.
The second, at the end of August, was a tie at Northampton in the CE Cup when both sides finished on 124.
Thunder made 124-5, now departed opener Georgie Boyce top-scoring with 31. In reply, Kate Cross claimed 2-20 from four overs as Sunrisers made 124-4.
The hosts needed nine off two overs to win and five from the last. Cross conceded four off the penultimate over before left-arm spinner Jones defended five off the last.