MATCH PREVIEW: Hampshire Hawks v Lancashire Thunder

MATCH PREVIEW: Hampshire Hawks v Lancashire Thunder

After winning one crunch clash with the third-placed Bears at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday, Lancashire Thunder face another on Wednesday in their bid to qualify for Vitality Blast Finals Day later this month.

Hampshire Hawks v Lancashire Thunder
Vitality Blast, Women
Wednesday July 9, 2025, 2pm
Falkland Cricket Ground, Newbury

Squad News

Thunder lost five of their first eight games to put themselves behind the eight-ball in the bid for a top-three berth and qualification. But enjoyed a double-winning weekend to revive their hopes, beating Essex at home on Saturday and then the Bears on Sunday.

They are now fifth in the table on 21 points having won five games in all. The gap to the third-placed Bears stands at seven points with four games to play and 20 points still available.

Sandwiched in between are Hampshire Hawks, also on 21 points but with a better net run-rate. 

They are Thunder’s next opponents on Wednesday at Newbury venue Falkland CC (2pm). Win that and captain Ellie Threlkeld and co, the early-season Vitality County T20 Cup champions, will really fancy their chances.

“Coming into this second block, we knew we needed to get a couple of wins in a row, so it's definitely a good start for us,” said in-form opener Emma Lamb.

“We’re now hoping to get another two over the next week.”

Lamb top-scored with 60 not out as Lancashire won by seven wickets replying to the Bears’ 123-7 on Sunday, taking her tally of runs to 893 in 18 matches across both T20 and 50-over cricket for the county this summer.

After Hampshire come Durham at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday morning.

First things first, though, Lancashire will have to overcome a Hampshire side including one of the women’s games greatest ever players in Australian overseas all-rounder Ellyse Perry.

Legendary Perry signed a deal with Hampshire for the second half of the campaign, plus Finals Day if they qualify.

She will then turn her attentions to the Hundred through August with Birmingham Phoenix.

“Ellyse will be my captain with the Phoenix, so I’m excited for that,” said Lamb. 

“But it will be really good to play against her as well. You always want to play against the best players because it helps you to see where your own game’s at.

“One thing I’ve learnt from playing against the Aussies is that they’ve got a lot of grit and determination. They’re not just good players, but it’s their drive which which is so impressive. 

“They never seem to settle for anything less than trying to be the best.”

Hampshire, like Thunder, have won five and lost five so far in the Blast. 

Perry, 34, has played twice for them so far, losing one and winning one.

She debuted in Friday’s defeat to The Blaze at Chesterfield, striking twice with her seamers, including with her first ball. She then hit 40 opening the batting in Sunday’s home win over Somerset at the Utilita Bowl.

Opening batter Ella McCaughan is their leading-run-scorer in this season’s Blast with 327 from five matches, including posting the competition’s only century. But she has not played since mid-last month.

England seamer Freya Davies leads the way with 13 wickets.

Opposition player to watch 

Ellyse Perry’s career record is a remarkable one.

On the international front, she has made 337 all-format appearances for Australia, scoring 7,290 runs and taking 334 wickets. She is a six-time T20 World Cup winner, a two-time ODI World Cup winner and has triumphed five times in the Ashes.

In all cricket, she has just topped 17,000 runs in the top order and has taken 610 wickets with her right-arm seamers.

Like Alana King’s signing for Lancashire, Perry’s short-term move to Hampshire was a real coup for the development of the county structure.

She would be available for Finals Day should Hampshire qualify. But Lancashire will aim to put a spanner in that plan! 

How’s Stat! 

Across the most recent weekend, Emma Lamb reached a couple of notable career milestones. On Saturday, against Essex, she was awarded a cap for making her 100th appearance for all Lancashire teams in the professional domestic era in England, which started in 2016.

That included appearances for Lancashire Thunder in the Kia Super League, Thunder in regional cricket and Lancashire in the new county era, which started this summer.