MATCH PREVIEW: Southern Vipers vs Thunder
Tara Norris has described her involvement in the recent Women’s Premier League competition, including a debut five-wicket haul, as her career highlight to date - and she could be set to create more magic memories in a Thunder shirt after a pair of weekend wins breathed life into their T20 campaign.
Left-arm seamer Norris wrote her name into the history books as the first player to claim five wickets in the WPL in March, doing it whilst playing for Delhi Capitals.
Her haul against Royal Challengers Bangalore included the wickets of Ellyse Perry and Heather Knight.
It was a remarkable day for the USA international, which actually came ahead of her Thunder debut having joined the region on contract over the winter from tomorrow’s Charlotte Edwards Cup opponents Southern Vipers.
Norris will return to the Ageas Bowl (3pm) having not yet matched the dizzy heights of that aforementioned five-for, but she has settled in seamlessly with the region and has contributed significantly to two wins on the spin over the Bank Holiday weekend.
She claimed three wickets across the two victories over Sunrisers at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday and against Central Sparks at New Road yesterday, ensuring Thunder kept their hopes of Finals Day qualification alive after back-to-back defeats.
At New Road, she took the new ball and returned 2-30 from four overs, her two wickets contributing to a team hat-trick in their defence of a 156 target.
“It was a frustrating start for us, but we’ve shown that T20 can be our campaign,” she said. “We’ve got some really exciting young players, and we’re happy to be on the board.
“Hopefully this is just the start and we can keep going on and get to Finals Day.
“I’ve settled in really well, and the move has been a great one for me. I couldn’t be happier.”
On the WPL, she said: “That five-wicket haul was definitely a moment I will never forget. It was amazing.
“That and just being a part of the Delhi Capitals franchise, it was probably my career highlight so far.
“It was absolutely incredible. I learnt loads, I had a brilliant time - my first time in India as well. It’s something I never thought would happen in my career.
“Meg Lanning, Marizanne Kapp, Shafali Verma, they’re all fantastic players to play with. To be able to pick their brains, it was amazing.
“Just being in that situation with those brilliant players is only going to develop me as a player, especially my T20 game.
“Thunder have been amazing as well. I’ve loved it here.
“Them being so supportive with me going away was something I really appreciated. We were prepping for a 50-over campaign at the time, but they allowed me to play in a T20 campaign and straight to Fairbreak as well.
“They’ve helped develop me as a player and got me ready for that and this season.”
A serial title winner in her three years as a Viper, Norris helped them win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy twice in 2020 and 2021 and contributed to last season’s Charlotte Edwards Cup triumph.
She played four games, though unfortunately missed out on the final victory over Central Sparks.
In the race for a top-three finish in the table and qualification for Finals Day at New Road on June 10, Thunder sit fourth on nine points after four of seven games.
They are level on points with Vipers, who are third with a better net run-rate and with a game in hand. Tomorrow, therefore, is a huge fixture in the context of the campaign.
Vipers have won two and lost one so far. Their defeat came yesterday against league leaders Blaze at Derby as they failed to defend a target of 119.
Current and former England players Danni Wyatt and Anya Shrubsole are set to feature, as is Australian overseas wicketkeeper-batter Nicole Faltum.
Coached by Charlotte Edwards, they are captained by Georgia Adams.
Tomorrow’s fixture is part of a T20 double header with Hampshire’s men, who face Surrey under lights in the Vitality Blast.
Opposing player to watch
England opener and World Cup winner Danni Wyatt may be the obvious choice, and she is clearly a dangerous customer at the top of the Vipers’ batting order.
But we’re going to take a look at her opening partner Maia Bouchier, who has been her region’s leading run-scorer in T20 and 50-over cricket this summer.
Bouchier, 24, has played 19 T20 internationals for England, but she missed out on the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.
She is not as powerful or as expansive as Wyatt, more classy. In that sense, they complement each other ideally against the new ball.
Bouchier has scored 145 runs in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy with two fifties and 91 runs in the CE Cup, including a best of 45.
Previous meeting
Unfortunately, the Vipers completed the T20 double over Thunder last year, including a commanding six-wicket win under lights at Emirates Old Trafford on June 1 - exactly a year to the day tomorrow.
Tara Norris returned 1-15 from four overs for Vipers as Thunder were limited to 94-6. Sophie Ecclestone top-scored with 28 for Thunder, while fellow England spinner Charlie Dean claimed claimed 3-16 for the visitors.
In reply, Georgia Elwiss led a stress-free chase with 38 not out from number four, one completed inside 16 overs for the loss of four wickets.