MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS: Lancashire Thunder v Southern Vipers
Coach Chris Read is backing his Lancashire Thunder side to recover quickly from Sunday’s below par display in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
Lancashire Thunder v Southern Vipers
Charlotte Edwards Cup
Friday June 7, 2024, 2.30pm
Emirates Old Trafford
Following injury to Georgia Voll, fellow Australian batter Katie Mack has made an earlier than planned return to Lancashire Thunder and will be with the side for the remainder of the Charlotte Edwards Cup competition, plus the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixtures until the end of July.
Lancashire Thunder squad to face Southern Vipers:
Ellie Threlkeld*+, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Graham, Liberty Heap, Laura Jackson, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Katie Mack, Fi Morris , Sophie Morris, Tara Norris, Seren Smale
Thunder were beaten by high-flying Blaze at Emirates Old Trafford, the visitors claiming their fifth straight victory with a seven-wicket success chasing 112.
However, Thunder remain inside the all-important top four, which would secure Finals Day qualification in five games’ time.
The competition has reached its halfway point, with Thunder on nine points having won two and lost three. They are one point clear of fifth-placed Southern Vipers, the back-to-back defending champions who visit Emirates Old Trafford on Friday afternoon (2.30pm).
It is not a defining fixture by any means, but certainly a crucial one.
No doubt, it would be the ideal time for Thunder to claim their first ever regional win over the Vipers in either T20 or 50-over cricket.
“I think we’ve played some really good cricket in this competition, which makes the Blaze game all the more galling,” said Read, in his first season in charge of Thunder.
“I think we have entertained, we’ve played some exciting T20 cricket. We failed to do that (against Blaze).
“But I’m excited by what this group can achieve. We’ve put in some good passages of play. What we haven’t quite done yet is put it all together across 40 overs.
“In a couple of games on the road where we’ve lost the game, there’s been a particular passage of play in the second half of the innings that has really hurt us.
“We’ve had good phases of play. We’ve won the powerplay quite often in this competition so far. “We just haven’t put the complete performance together yet.
“Ultimately, we’ve got a lot of talent and ability in that dressing room. It’s exciting, the prospect of when we do that, how good we can be.”
Vipers won this competition in 2022 and 2023, beating Thunder in the semi-final at New Road last June before going on to beat Blaze in the final. In all, they have won five regional trophies, including three Rachael Heyhoe crowns.
But the Southampton-based side have work to do for the T20 ‘threepeat’.
They are sat fifth in the table, one point behind Thunder with the same two wins, three losses record.
Read continued: “I think every game is a big game.
“We are halfway through this competition and have lost more than we’ve won, so we need to turn that round.
“The Vipers have struggled a little themselves in this competition so far.
“I feel qualification is a realistic target if we play our best cricket.”
Coached by the woman whose name adorns this trophy, Charlotte Edwards, Vipers are captained by batting all-rounder Georgia Adams and have Australian batting all-rounder Charli Knott as their overseas player for 2024.
Knott is the second leading wicket-taker in the competition so far with nine wickets, taken with her off-spinners, while ex-England batter Georgia Elwiss is the leading run-scorer with 178.
They were beaten last time out, on Sunday, by South East Stars.
In preview to this game, Read was asked about Thunder chasing their first ever regional win over Vipers in four-and-a-half-seasons.
He added: “Some of the players in our dressing room might have a few scars from years gone by, but we’ve got a lot of fresh faces and a lot of ability as well.
“It’s another opportunity to showcase that in a fantastic stadium.
“I’m in a really privileged position.
“I don’t have any of that history or any of that baggage. So, from my point of view, it’s just a case of going out there and looking to play our best cricket and get back to winning ways.”
Not only is this part of a T20 double header with Lancashire’s men, it is also Thunder’s first of two games in three days. They host Sunrisers at Blackpool on Sunday afternoon.
Opposition player to watch
New ball seamer Freya Davies has been capped 35 times for England in limited overs cricket, including 26 of those in T20 cricket. She played in the last T20 World Cup in February 2023 but hasn’t played since since last summer’s Ashes.
Davies, 28, has made an encouraging start to this summer’s Charlotte Edwards Cup.
She has claimed seven wickets from five matches, including a best of 3-22.
A tall fast bowler, she has a T20 international best of 4-23 to her name and very much has time her side in regards to fighting her way back into the international set-up.
Davies, also a talented hockey player, joined the Vipers from South East Stars over the most recent winter, adding experience to their attack down at the Utilita Bowl.
Previous meeting
These two last met in this competition at Finals Day last June, the Vipers winning the semi-final clash at Worcestershire’s New Road by 18 runs defending their 191-6.
Thunder’s first knockout match in the regional era demonstrated their progression, pushing the defending champions and eventual winners close in a high-scoring affair.
Vipers’ England openers Danni Wyatt and Maia Bouchier (56) gave their side a superb start having been inserted. They shared 108 in 11 overs for the first wicket, with Wyatt going on to top score with a brutal 76 off 50 balls with 12 fours and a six.
At 138-1 after 14 overs, Vipers looked well placed to post a 200 plus total, but Thunder fought back well to limit them, with fledgling off-spinner Olivia Bell starring with 4-37.
In reply, Thunder battled hard from 84-4 in the 10th over and later 126-5 in the 15th to finish with 173-8.
Fi Morris top-scored with 36 and was supported by 31 from captain Ellie Threlkeld and Sophie Ecclestone’s 33. Anya Shrubsole, Linsey Smith and captain Georgia Adams all claimed two wickets for a Vipers side who went on to beat Blaze in the final.