Player Diary: Fi Morris on Thunder's start to season and T20 prep
To be able to start a new competition with the Charlotte Edwards Cup at this time, I think is a really good thing for us as a Thunder squad.
The way the season has started for us in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy has been pretty disappointing. But we have been getting closer to where we want to be since we lost those first two games against the South East Stars and Western Storm.
We were outplayed in those games and didn’t play well.
But, afterwards, we had some tough, honest conversations around them. And that was a good thing.
I thought we played a lot better against the Central Sparks at Emirates Old Trafford and probably deserved to win that game, which finished in a tie. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
We were gutted not to win, but there was so much fight from us in that game.
With the Charlotte Edwards T20 stuff about to start this weekend, it’s really exciting because we believe we have a very good balance to our side with plenty of skill with the ball and power-hitters with the bat.
There’s real excitement around the squad about what can happen when we do click as a side, and there’s no other option in this format but to go out and be positive.
I was one of a number of Thunder girls who played in Sunday’s County T20 Finals Day for Lancashire at Bradshaw in Bolton, and it was fantastic for us to come away with the trophy. That has given us a lot of confidence to take back to the regional stuff.
I’ve actually felt really good with the bat so far, especially against the Sparks when I got 31. Now it’s about going on and scoring bigger.
That’s something I’m really harsh on myself with and recognise that’s a flaw in my game - that I don’t go on and get the big scores.
There’s no reason why I can’t do it, and hopefully that comes in T20 cricket, where you don’t have any time to stop and think. It’s something I’m working really hard on.
With the ball, I’ve felt really good without taking the wickets that I could have.
I don’t want to change too much about my game at present aside from going on to convert a couple of starts that I’ve had with the bat.
I’ve taken two or three catches so far and had a hand in a run out as well, and I’d say that fielding is probably the area of my game which has been the strongest in recent times.
If I’m not scoring runs with the bat or taking wickets, that’s another area of the game I can impact. If I can take a couple of chances that are half chances and things like that, that’s obviously a big thing.
I absolutely love that part of the game, and I’ve been set the task by Paul Shaw of leading the fielding. That’s something I’ve enjoyed so much.
There’s been a bit of a turning point this year for me. In the past, I’ve been a good fielder. But this year I want to prove I’m one of the best out there - to be a bit more positive and confident with it.
We’ve worked really hard as a group through the winter and in the early part of the summer at improving our fielding as a squad, and we seem to have a bit more of a presence about us in the field. I’m told that’s an improvement from the past, which is really exciting.
Mahika Gaur has been one of the major positives for us at the start of this season, and the way she bowled down at Cardiff against the Storm was one of the best opening spells I’ve seen. And that was on debut.
I was in the slips and turned to Ellie Threlkeld at one point and said, ‘Meeks makes me really excited to play cricket’. I felt like a bit badger. But I was so impressed.
We call her ‘Two-metre Mahika’.
I think everyone just assumes she will steam in and be quick with her height, but she’s got so much skill. She swings the ball and has variations through the middle of an innings.
She’s such a great girl as well, and someone who loves a good magic trick.
Honestly, it’s either Two-metre Mahika or Magic Meeks!
We’ve obviously had a few long coach journeys, and she’s got some unbelievable magic tricks up her sleeve. They’re all a bit tamer than sawing you in half, but she’s still been blowing everyone’s minds.
I absolutely love facing her in the nets because it’s a proper challenge.
You don’t get many 6’3 women bowling at you, let alone ones who are left-arm and swing it, and it’s just a massive point of difference for her and for us as a side.
Last week, it was announced that I will be playing in the Hundred in August for the Manchester Originals, which I’m absolutely buzzing about.
This is my third team in three years after the Southern Brave and the Welsh Fire, so I’m trying to collect the set.
Seriously, hopefully this is the last. To be in a new team but at somewhere I feel really comfortable and settled, it’s amazing. I can’t wait to get going with them. Plus, the black and grey of the Originals is also a much nicer kit than the bright red of the Fire.
Having Stephen Parry as our head coach is really exciting, especially having worked with him a lot this winter.
I may have played for three different teams in the Hundred, but I guess my example indicates how the women’s game is progressing and becoming more professional.
If you play well, you’ll get head-hunted by someone else for this tournament or that. If you don’t, there’s a possibility you could get dropped and then maybe picked up somewhere else.
You talk about loyalty in sport, but actually it’s about winning games and playing good cricket.
I think movement within teams is definitely a good thing.