MATCH PREVIEW: The Blaze v Lancashire Women
Captain Ellie Threlkeld is targeting a fast start to the new summer as Lancashire aim to inject some early momentum into their hunt for silverware.
The Blaze v Lancashire Women
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Wednesday April 23, 2025, 10.30am
Trent Bridge
The Red Rose begin the season on Wednesday with a tough but exciting task, away against much-fancied Blaze in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Trent Bridge (10.30am).
The Blaze, aligned to Nottinghamshire CCC, are the only team which have retained their name from the old regional structure, which ended last September.
Last season, Blaze won the Charlotte Edwards T20 Cup competition.
This summer, they are expected to do well again, but this time under new leadership in the form of ex-New Zealand men’s batter Craig Cumming, who is aiming to replicate his recent success in charge of Otago Sparks back home. They have won two domestic 50-over titles in the last three years.
Blaze continue to be captained by experience spin-bowling all-rounder Kirstie Gordon, while at their strongest boast England stars Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Ex-England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss is a new signing, while Scotland internationals Kathryn and Sarah Bryce provide a talismanic presence for the Notts side.
Their availability for this opener is unclear having only just finished international commitments with Scotland in Pakistan on Friday.
Even if they are available to play, will they be fully prepared and tuned into English conditions?
Whoever plays, though, Threlkeld and Lancashire are in confident mood as head coach Chris Read prepares to return to home territory.
Former wicketkeeper-batter Read is a Nottinghamshire men’s legend having captained the county and won silverware with them.
“A big chunk of our season is quite early doors, and it's important that we start fast and try and get over the line in the first few games, really,” said Threlkeld.
“The squad's looking in a good place, particularly for 50-over cricket. I'm really looking forward to getting started.”
Wednesday’s trip to face The Blaze marks the first of eight games through until May 19 for the Red Rose. The first three of those come across an eight-day period through until next Wednesday.
Threlkeld continued: “It’s just about setting the tone for the season. We've done so many things really well over the last couple of years. It's about transferring that into this season, but also all the improvements that we've made over the winter.”
Lancashire’s confidence ahead of this summer is there for many reasons - their winter work, pre-season performances in Dubai, Bangalore and at home and recruitment.
“The pre-season tour was just a great opportunity to get outside and play some games,” continued the captain, who is one dismissal away from 200 in her senior career.
“I think we've all worked really hard this winter in that Indoor Centre at Emirates Old Trafford, and it was just a good chance to put our skills into a game situation under pressure. I was really pleased with how we went (on tour).
“A lot of people stood up at different times, and that was really pleasing.”
Lancashire also beat Durham in a pre-season friendly last week, while they had another rain-affected against Warwickshire. Talismanic seamer Kate Cross played in the latter following an injury disrupted winter with England.
Recruitment wise, Lancashire have signed batter Eve Jones from Central Sparks, or Warwickshire as they are now. England fringe seamer Grace Potts has also made the same journey to the North West.
Scotland spinner Darcey Carter also signed having previously played her regional cricket with South East Stars.
“Getting Grace and Eve across from the Sparks have been two brilliant signings, Darcey as well,” added Threlkeld. “They are going to add a lot of value to us from a cricket point of view, but also great people as well. They fit into the group really well.
“I'm really excited to see how they go this summer.
“There are definitely going to be some selection headaches for this first game.”
Opposition player to watch
Over the last five years in regional cricket, former England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss has won all there is to win in the colours of the Southern Vipers.
A multiple 50-over and T20 champion, Elwiss has opted to swap the South Coast for the East Midlands, where she previously played as captain of the Loughborough Lightning side in the old Kia Super League days between 2016 and 2019.
Elwiss, 33, is set to make her 200th career List A appearance in this season opener. She is a middle order batter with almost 6,000 senior runs across 50-over, T20 and Test Match cricket to her name added to just short of 350 wickets with her canny medium pacers.
As the previous paragraph indicates, the Wolverhampton-born all-rounder is a former England international, making 54 appearances across the formats, the last of which came in 2021.
How’s Stat!
Ellie Threlkeld’s first catch or stumping of the summer will be the 200th victim of her senior career.
The Red Rose captain and wicketkeeper is on the verge of a milestone moment. She has recorded 81 dismissals in List A cricket and 118 in her T20 career.
Threlkeld’s first senior career appearance came in 2013 in T20 cricket for Lancashire Women in the old era of county cricket.