MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS: Lancashire Thunder vs Northern Diamonds, Charlotte Edwards Cup 2024
Lancashire Thunder v Northern Diamonds
Charlotte Edwards Cup
Sunday May 19, 2024, 1pm
Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
Thunder squad to face Northern Diamonds:
Ellie Threlkeld (c/wk), Danielle Collins, Kate Cross, Mahika Gaur, Phoebe Graham, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Ailsa Lister, Fi Morris, Daisy Mullan, Tara Norris, Seren Smale, Georgia Voll
This great ‘Roses’ rivalry has seen many things over the last four-and-a-bit-seasons. Joy for Thunder, despair for Thunder. Some fantastic team and individual performances at some iconic and picturesque venues. One thing it hasn’t yet seen is a meeting at Emirates Old Trafford.
Lancashire Thunder and the Northern Diamonds will kick off this summer’s Charlotte Edwards (T20) Cup on Sunday afternoon (1pm).
It will be the 13th meeting between the two sides across both 50-over and 20-over cricket since regional cricket began in 2020, and the first at Lancashire’s HQ.
Places such as Liverpool, Blackpool, Sale, Chester, York, Headingley and Durham have hosted matches, now it is the turn of Emirates Old Trafford to get a taste of the high drama which this rivalry brings.
That was most evident last June when Thunder won by seven wickets at Blackpool in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, successfully chasing a target of 97 in 15 overs to qualify for Finals Day.
It was pretty much a winner takes all final group game of last season’s competition, and Thunder had to win it with a bonus point to advance beyond the group stages and book their semi-final berth at the expense of the Diamonds, which they did.
Whisper it quietly, but the Diamonds have had the better of this rivalry overall, winning eight of the previous 12. But the majority of those wins have come in 50-over cricket.
Thunder have had the better of things in T20s, winning three matches to two.
And they are confident of claiming another success to kick-start their bid for 2024 glory.
"Looking at how we went last year, we got through to the finals,” said opening batter Emma Lamb. “This year, we have a very strong group with great batters who can go at a good rate, and I think that's looking very positive for us.
"We're very confident as a team. We're having lots of good conversations, and it feels a lot different to last year.
“I think there are big things to come.”
When Lamb says that things feel different this year, that is now doubt owing much to having a new coach in Chris Read and added confidence on the back of their semi-final finish in 2023.
There is certainly a relaxed feeling within the squad ahead of the next few weeks, according to the Prestonian.
"We definitely have a lot fun,” she said. “I think that's the whole point of cricket, and it's a great group to be part of.”
Of the fantastic individual performances aforementioned, Lamb produced one of particular note in this competition at Headingley in June 2021, when Thunder beat Diamonds by 12 runs.
It was a day when everything Lamb touched turned to gold.
She got 58 off 43 balls opening the batting before claiming 4-13 from four overs of off-spin, added to taking a catch and affecting a run out in a successful defence of a 119 target.
Fast bowler Sophia Turner shone for Thunder that day with a superb new ball 1-4 from four overs. But she will be in opposition colours this weekend.
Lamb certainly heads into this game with her game in good order, even if Thunder’s early-season form could have been better - two wins from six in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
In her last outing, she hit a superb 107 opening the batting in defeat to Central Sparks at Emirates Old Trafford on May 8.
She is confident of transferring her form between formats.
"Swapping between formats is part of being a professional cricketer,” she said.
“Often, when my Test cricket is going well, everything else falls into place, and I don't particularly change too much about my game. I keep it simple.”
Thunder will hand a debut to overseas Australian batting all-rounder Georgia Voll, the Brisbane Heat star who will be available for the entirety of this competition, which runs through until Finals Day at Derby on Saturday June 22.
Each of the eight regions plays 10 group games.
There has been a change in the qualification format for Finals Day. Last season, the top three would qualify, with the group winner sealing a direction passage through to the afternoon final.
This year, the top four teams in the group advance to two semi-finals before a final, mirroring the long-standing format for the men’s Vitality Blast Finals Day.
The Diamonds have started the summer brightly, winning four of their six matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
But they will be without Australian overseas all-rounder Erin Burns, who has returned home to attend the wedding of a close friend. This is due to be the only fixture she misses.
Lancashire have entitled the day #BatForWomensCricket, and they are encouraging regular cricket fans and first-time visitors to come down to Emirates Old Trafford and experience what the women’s game has to offer.
Tickets are on sale at £5 for adults and £1 for juniors.