MATCH PREVIEW: Surrey Women v Lancashire Women
Surrey v Lancashire
Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Sunday September 7, 2025, 10.30am
The County Cricket Ground, Beckenham
Lancashire’s women travel to the South this weekend aiming to ensure their 50-over title hopes head north.
The Red Rose county suffered a hiccup on Thursday, losing to Somerset in a rain-affected, low-scoring affair at Emirates Old Trafford. It was only their fourth defeat in 11 games in this competition.
A frustration? Yes.
Captain Ellie Threlkeld summed things up when she said: “These are a side who are below us in the table and we've beaten before. So it was, absolutely, a missed opportunity.”
A disaster? Far from it.
Lancashire held onto second place in the table and, with three games left, have their hopes of a home semi-final still in their hands. They sit level on 31 points with third-placed The Blaze, ahead of them on net run-rate.
It was a boost to Threlkeld and company that neither The Blaze or fourth-placed Surrey were able to make up significant ground on them given their clash on Thursday was abandoned because of wet weather with Blaze 66-5 in 16 overs.
Surrey are four points behind Lancashire.
As aforementioned, a top-two finish in the table would secure a home semi-final. A top-four finish would seal straight qualification for the last four, and the Red Rose have a cushion of five points - and a better net run-rate - over fifth-placed Durham. They were also washed out away at the Bears on Thursday.
Wicketkeeper-batter Threlkeld was extremely frustrated that her side were well below par last time out against Somerset.
They could only post 169-9 from their 44 overs, slipping to 69-7 at one point, before Somerset got home by five wickets with just under 10 overs to spare.
But she will have put that behind her quickly, and full focus will be on this clash with fellow challengers Surrey, who have won five of 11 games to Lancashire’s seven.
The Red Rose won the reverse fixture at Southport in early May, chasing down 297 to win by five wickets. Fi Morris top-scored with superb 90 not out in that fixture.
“All eyes are on Sunday now,” said Threlkeld. “We’re just taking it game by game, and hopefully we're in a position where we'll be in that Finals Day (September 21, Utilita Bowl).
“We go into every game with confidence.
“When we play our best cricket we'll beat anyone, and that’s exactly what we didn't do against Somerset.
“So we’ll be looking to put what we can right and front up.
“It's nice to come back out of the Hundred and have something to play for, and we spoke at the start of the season about having three trophies on offer to win.
“There's still one more on offer to win, and if we end up with two out of the three we'd have had a really good year. But, look, we're taking it game by game as I said.”
Lancashire have suffered some setbacks with availability.
Eve Jones (shoulder) and Tara Norris (foot) have both been ruled out for the rest of the season with injuries sustained during the recent Hundred competition.
England opener Emma Lamb missed Thursday’s Somerset game as she manages a back issue ahead of the forthcoming World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, which starts at the end of the month. Sophie Ecclestone is also preparing for the same tournament.
“At the back end of the season, these things happen,” added Threlkeld.
“It will test our squad depth, and we’ve got some really good players who deserve an opportunity.
“I've got full belief in anyone who walks out on the field for us that they will do a good job.
“It’s going to give some girls a great opportunity to hopefully contribute to us winning a trophy.”
Surrey, captained by opening batter Bryony Smith and coached by Johann Myburgh, have won five of their 11 games so far in this competition, losing four. They have also tied one added to Thursday’s abandonment.
England batter Alice Capsey is their leading 50-over run-scorer this season with 443, while leg-spinner Dani Gregory has taken 16 wickets.
Opposition player to watch
Batting all-rounder Alice Capsey, 21-years-old, is preparing for the One-Day World Cup with England at the end of the month.
And she has enjoyed an impressive Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign with her county, her near 450 haul of runs including one century and three fifties so far.
A dynamic top order batter who bowls handy off-spin, Capsey has also taken six wickets to advance Surrey’s bid for the semi-finals.
Despite her tender age, she has played 71 times in limited overs cricket for England, including 26 times in One-Day Internationals.
Having also scored four fifties for her country - all in T20 cricket - she will want to turn potential into performance at the highest level sooner rather than later.
How’s Stat!
These two counties have played each other four times already this season, both winning two games apiece.
Lancashire beat Surrey twice in May, once in this competition at Southport and the other time in the final of the Vitality County T20 Cup competition at Taunton.
Surrey won both Vitality Blast games in June.