Lancashire Cricket Women confirm playing squad and coaching staff for 2025
Lancashire Cricket Women is delighted to confirm the Club’s squad in full ahead of the 2025 season.
Following the confirmation of Tier One status from 2025, the Club has retained its England centrally contracted players, committed a number of existing players to new and extended contracts, in addition to making three new signings.
As announced earlier this year, Lancashire have completed the domestic signings of Eve Jones and Grace Potts from Central Sparks until the end of the 2027 season, in addition to Darcey Carter from South East Stars who has signed until the end of 2026.
The Club can also confirm that England centrally contracted duo, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone, will both feature for Lancashire next season around their international commitments.
In 2023 captain Ellie Threlkeld, Fi Morris and Olivia Bell all signed contracts with Thunder until the end of the 2025 season – these contracts have all been carried over to Lancashire.
This summer Danielle Collins, Seren Smale, Phoebe Graham, Tara Norris and Emma Lamb all signed deals which run until the end of the 2026 season while Hannah Jones, Hannah Rainey and Liberty Heap are signed until the end of next season.
The Club also announced in October that Alice Clarke (2025) and Grace Johnson (2026) had put pen-to-paper on their first professional contracts.
In addition to this both Ailsa Lister and Sophie Morris have both signed their full-time contracts with Lancashire which also run until the end of the 2026 season – the pair had previously held part-time contracts with Lister’s being split between Lancashire and Scotland.
Chris Read will continue as Head Coach after signing a two-year contract last year. Read will be assisted by former Lancashire and England spinner Stephen Parry, former Lancashire bowler - and 2011 County Championship winner - Kyle Hogg and former Queensland batter Clinton Perren.
Lancashire Cricket Women will compete in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and in the Vitality Blast where they will be known as Lancashire Thunder – with the T20 fixtures for the 2025 season set to be released on Thursday (21 November).
Lancashire Cricket Women’s squad:
Contracted until the end of 2027:
Eve Jones, Grace Potts
Contracted until the end of 2026:
Danielle Collins, Seren Smale, Sophie Morris, Ailsa Lister, Phoebe Graham, Tara Norris, Darcey Carter, Emma Lamb, Grace Johnson
Contracted until the end of 2025:
Ellie Threlkeld (c), Fi Morris, Olivia Bell, Hannah Jones, Hannah Rainey, Liberty Heap, Mahika Gaur, Alice Clarke
England contracted:
Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone
Director of Women’s Cricket Performance, David Thorley, said: “We are really excited to announce our full squad of 21 players as we move forward into an exciting new era ahead of the 2025 season and make the transition from regional women’s cricket into the new Tier One structure.
“There has been a lot of hard work undertaken during the last few months to make sure that we are in the strongest position possible to make a positive start to life as Lancashire Cricket Women next summer in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and Vitality Blast competitions.
“We have been delighted to welcome three new domestic signings into the squad, while retaining the services of England contracted players and tying some of our key performers during recent seasons down to extended contracts at Emirates Old Trafford.
“With Hilton’s ongoing support, we have been able to secure 19 professional contracts, an uplift from the 15 minimum which is required and believed to be the joint highest in the country. Hilton’s commitment to women’s cricket in Lancashire was recognised recently when they won the ‘Most Inclusive Marketing Campaign’ for their No Boundaries campaign at The 2024 Inclusion In Awards.
“In addition to this, following on the from the success of our Under 18s double-winning side last season, we will also be running a full Second XI programme alongside our professional squad to ensure that there is enough match practice and time in the middle for all of our emerging players.”
Lancashire Women’s captain Ellie Threlkeld also commented: “It is really exciting to see our full squad finalised ahead of the new season and we are all looking forward to getting started.
“With winter training now underway, there has been a real buzz about the place and excitement about what’s to come next as Lancashire Cricket Women during the new Tier One era.
“With our T20 fixtures being released on Thursday, things will start to feel much more real once we have those dates to work towards and we can begin to put our plans into more detail for next season.”
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