MATCH PREVIEW: Thunder v Central Sparks
Stephen Parry is hoping England trio Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone and Emma Lamb can help Thunder build some winning momentum during their pre-Ashes spell of regional cricket.
Thunder v Central Sparks
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
Saturday May 6, 2023, 10.30am
Emirates Old Trafford
Prior to next month’s Ashes, all three stars will be available for matches in both the ongoing Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
It is a huge boost for Thunder, who are bidding to kick-start their summer following two 50-over defeats and a rainy No Result.
Lamb played in the two RHF Trophy defeats and was due to be joined in the side by Ecclestone earlier this week, only for rain to ruin their trip to face the Blaze at Welbeck Colliery on Monday.
Unfortunately, Cross was ruled out of that game and the one before, Saturday’s loss at Western Storm, due to illness.
It is hoped the talismanic seamer will have recovered in time to face Central Sparks at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday (10.30am), when Ecclestone will make her season’s bow.
Squad News:
Ellie Threlkeld (c/wk), Danielle Collins, Kate Cross, Naomi Dattani, Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Alex Hartley, Liberty Heap, Laura Jackson, Emma Lamb, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Seren Smale
Thunder assistant coach Parry said: “Having Sophie, Crossy and Lamby around makes a massive difference to our environment. We all love having them, and they add so much.
“Sophie is loving being back. She was great around the group on Monday, and it was a shame she couldn’t get on the park.
“Her, Crossy, Lamby and Deandra (Dottin) as well, they provide the core of a team which the younger girls can play around.
“We need those players to come and make an impact on the team to build and breed that winning feeling. Hopefully, then once the England girls are gone and playing in the Ashes, we’re on a bit of a roll and the other players can take that on from them.
“It’s a really exciting time for not just us but the other regions, who have their England players back as well.”
Parry has pointed to flashes of encouragement for Thunder during the opening defeats against South East Stars and, particularly, Western Storm last time out.
But he said: “In certain passages of play, we look really good and have improved a massive amount from where we were a couple of years ago. We’re just not doing it for long enough.
“That could be bowling in partnerships or the times with the bat when we’ve needed to go on a bit further, we’ve lost a couple of quick wickets.”
An example of what former left-arm spinner Parry was speaking about came in Cardiff on Saturday when debutant UAE seamer Mahika Gaur struck twice with the new ball to leave the hosts 11-2 in pursuit of 215.
Storm recovered and went on to win by six wickets with 8.3 overs remaining thanks to a century for Irish international Orla Prendergast.
“Mahika bowled beautifully the other day,” said Parry. “That was a massive plus for us, and it’s really exciting.
“Her control, she was swinging the ball, her craft - she was just causing loads of problems. She’s only just turned 17. Her pace was just right for that pitch. As she gets older and stronger, that will only progress.
“She’s such a confident and intelligent girl who thinks about the game. Her action looks so natural, and we’ve got one there with so much potential.”
Parry admits the Thunder would have hoped for a better start to the campaign: “We’ve not played as well as did in pre-season,” he said.
“But myself, Paul Shaw and Craig White can definitely see things growing, there’s no doubt about that.
“In our first game against the Stars, the girls admitted they were really disappointed. But they were better against Storm, which is encouraging.
“The way we’ve been fielding has been miles better, that’s one thing. Now the girls have got a full-time gym programme, you can see that dynamism shining through.”
Sparks have won one and lost two so far. A win over the Northern Diamonds last Saturday was sandwiched in between defeats to the Blaze and Southern Vipers.
They are captained by former Lancashire women’s opener Eve Jones, who has since gone on to skipper England A since leaving the North West at the end of 2019.
They have signed Australian all-rounder Erin Burns as overseas, and she could debut.
Parry added: “Sparks are a good team, one of the stronger ones.
“They qualified for Finals Day in the T20 stuff last year, and they look they’ve been playing reasonable cricket in the first few weeks of this summer.”
Opposing player to watch:
Batter Davina Perrin is a rising star of English Cricket.
Aged 16, the Wolverhampton-born player represented England Under 19s at the winter T20 World Cup in South Africa, alongside Liberty Heap and Seren Smale.
Perrin bats with youthful exuberance, in much the same way Thunder duo Heap and Smale do.
She made her senior regional debut in the latter stages of 2021, and her high score to date is the 46 she scored against Thunder in last year’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy game at Emirates Old Trafford.
In that match, she opened the batting. This season, she has been batting at four and hit 30 last Saturday to help secure victory over Northern Diamonds at Worcester.
Previous meeting:
Thunder will be hoping for a repeat of last July’s meeting against Central Sparks, in which they beat them by 28 runs at Emirates Old Trafford. The only thing we’d like to change is the Duckworth Lewis Stern element, the rain hopefully staying away on this occasion.
Emma Lamb top-scored with 68 as Thunder made 238-9 from 48 overs in this day/night fixture, Laura Marshall and Ellie Threlkeld contributing 41 and 46 in the middle order.
More rain reduced the Sparks target to 220 from 43 overs, and while Abbey Freeborn made 72 from number three Thunder were able to keep the visitors in check.
After Deandra Dottin made the initial breakthrough by bowling Eve Jones, Lamb continued her good day with 3-26 from seven overs, while Kate Cross, Alex Hartley and Hannah Jones all struck twice as the Sparks were bowled out for 191 in 42 overs.