MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS: The Blaze vs Lancashire Thunder, Charlotte Edwards Cup 2024
The Blaze vs Lancashire Thunder, Charlotte Edwards Cup
Sunday May 26, 2024, 2:30pm
Haslegrave Ground, Loughborough
Thunder squad to face The Blaze:
Ellie Threlkeld (c/wk), Alice Clarke, Danielle Collins, Phoebe Graham, Mahika Gaur Liberty Heap, Laura Jackson, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Ailsa Lister, Fi Morris, Daisy Mullan, Tara Norris, Seren Smale, Georgia Voll
There’s no I in Team as far as Fi Morris is concerned, and that was evident as the talismanic all-rounder reflected on her own - and Lancashire Thunder’s - start to the new season following yesterday’s Charlotte Edwards Cup defeat against South East Stars at Beckenham.
Morris was Thunder’s standout performer in their second game of this season’s T20 competition, scoring 41 opening the batting and taking 1-25 from four overs of off-spin.
Unfortunately, though, it went unrewarded as Stars fought back from a couple of tricky positions to secure a five-wicket win.
Thunder 92-1 in the 12th over batting first and finished with 139-7 before the hosts recovered from 92-5 after 13 to reach their target. It left Thunder with one win and one defeat from two games.
Next up are the Blaze at Loughborough’s Haslegrave ground on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm.
Before we get onto Morris personally, the 30-year-old reflected back on the Stars and looked ahead to Blaze.
“We had a really good start with both bat and ball at Beckenham,” she said.
“We massively won the first 10 overs of both innings and then really, really lost the last 10 of each innings. It was definitely a game of two halves in that respect.
“It was a typical T20 game that flips at the flick of a switch.
“Paige Scholfield (73 not out) played a really good innings, and that can happen. But we learnt a lot from it.
“We didn’t score quite enough runs at Beckenham, and that’s where we shot ourselves in the foot a bit - it was a really good wicket.
“From the majority of the day, we were on top.
“There were some really good signs, and the mood’s good. We know what we’re all capable of.
“Now it’s just about stringing together some consistency. That would be great.”
Yesterday’s game, which swung this way and that was a great advert for the regional structure, and a quick look at the early Charlotte Edwards table suggests that things are going to be tight over the 10-game group stage.
The race for Finals Day will be hard-fought, for sure.
Tomorrow’s opponents the Blaze are one of three teams with two wins from two, alongside Central Sparks and the Stars. Next come champions Southern Vipers and Thunder, who have won one and lost one so far.
“It’s a really exciting and even competition this year,” said Morris.
“To win games of cricket, you have to play well. And that’s how it should be. It shouldn’t be Vipers winning week after week, it should be tight games won by the best team on the day.
“That’s what’s happening more and more now.”
Blaze have won games against Southern Vipers and Northern Diamonds so far. Captained by England fringe spinner Kirstie Gordon, they have South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk as their overseas player.
Thunder beat Blaze at Trent Bridge by one wicket earlier this season in a thrilling Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match when the hosts were missing Scottish international sisters Kathryn and Sarah Bryce. Both will be available tomorrow.
Blaze lost their first three games of the season in the RFHT. Now, across both formats - 50-over and T20 cricket - they have won their last three matches.
“The beauty of changing formats midway through the season is that it can give you a reset,” said Morris. “Having the Bryces back will be a big boost for them, both skill morale wise I guess.
“The last time we played them, it was really tight and we nearly missed out.
“Hopefully Sunday will be another good win for us.
“We’re still pretty upbeat after the Stars game, so onwards and upwards.”
And so to that introduction to this preview about Morris’s No I in Team mentality.
In eight matches, she has taken five wickets with her off-spin added to notable scores of 89 and 41 with the bat.
The 41 was yesterday, the 89 in a 50-over win against Sunrisers at Emirates Old Trafford late last month.
And listening to her reflect on the latter score gave you a real indication of her worth to Thunder’s cause.
“It’s been an ok season so far for me,” she added.
“I didn’t start off the way I’d wanted with the ball. I had a few issues with that on pre-season tour (Dubai and Bangalore), and it seeped into the first two games. But I feel like I’ve got it back now and am in really good rhythm.
“I’m starting to get a few scores together with the bat as well.
“I guess I was a bit frustrated not to get a century (against Sunrisers). But that’s not a milestone I’m overly bothered about as long as I’m contributing to winning games.
“I had a good day against the Stars, but I couldn’t quite go on and get the big score for the team. That’s what I really want, and hopefully that can happen against Blaze.”
Opposition player to watch
Keep an eye on Sarah Bryce, the Scotland international wicketkeeper-batter who has just helped her nation, alongside Thunder duo Ailsa Lister and Hannah Rainey, qualify for the T20 World Cup later this year.
Bryce, the younger sister of all-rounder Kathryn, smashed a warm-up century against the Northern Diamonds off just 39 balls in the lead-up to this competition.
The 24-year-old has not yet caught fire in the opening two games, scoring only one and 18. But if she does, she could do some damage to Thunder pretty quickly.
She will likely bat at number four and has played 59 times for Scotland, including 54 of them in 20-over cricket.
Previous meeting
Blaze beat Thunder by three wickets at Emirates Old Trafford almost a year ago to the day - May 25 - en-route to the final.
A polished bowling display from the visitors, led by left-arm new ball seamer Grace Ballinger’s 2-23 from four overs, limited Thunder to 117-6, including Libby Heap’s 26 opening the batting.
That no Thunder batter made 30 was important, with them struggling to get on top of a miserly visiting attack.
In reply, Blaze got off to a fine start at 56-0 in the sixth over, including 38 for England opener Tammy Beaumont (she won’t play this year because of international duty).
However, they lost six wickets for 42 runs, slipping to 98-6 after 12 overs to give Thunder hope of a remarkable comeback.
Sophie Ecclestone starred with 2-18 from her four overs, while fellow spinner Fi Morris also struck twice and was excellent.
Unfortunately, the hosts had been left with just too much to do, and an unbeaten 17 from Sarah Glenn saw her side home with 5.3 overs remaining.