Match Preview: Essex Women vs Lancashire Thunder, Vitality Blast Women
Essex Women v Lancashire Thunder
Vitality Blast, Women
Sunday May 31, 11.30am
Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford
Meg Lanning believes Lancashire finally got their rewards for hard work in beating Somerset in the Vitality Blast yesterday.
Things haven’t gone the Red Rose county’s way this season, in both the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and the Blast. They have won two and lost six in the former competition and went into the Somerset game having lost two from two in the Blast.
The players are an honest group and know they haven’t been at their best. Equally, their performances don’t quite match up to their results.
They could have easily be sat, on the coach to Chelmsford for their last match tomorrow - against Essex from 11.30am, reflecting on better.
Thankfully, they at least head south, knowing that they have a win to work with having beaten Somerset by seven wickets chasing 138 at Emirates Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.
To that, Australian overseas Lanning contributed a superb 75 not out off 48 balls.
“I think it's a really important role as an overseas to come in and bring some energy,” said Lanning.
“Obviously you want to perform as much as you can on the field. But, I think off the field, you've got a role to play as well.
“Having said that, even though the results haven't gone their way early this year, the group's been really positive and really wanting to go out there and keep improving.
“It’s nice to get some reward for the effort.”
Lanning spoke prior to the start of the Blast about looking forward to a new experience in a competition she had not played in previously, and on evidence of personal form she is clearly enjoying it.
Three games in and the 34-year-old has posted scores of 40, 81 not out and 75 not out.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” she said. “I think the crowds have been great. There's been some good atmospheres and really high-scoring, entertaining cricket too.
“I'd heard good things about the competition. So, nice to be able to join in this time and be part of it.
“I think T20 comps like this are really important for the countries that we're in and provide some good opportunities for the younger players to play.
“We saw Venus Weerappuli with us and debut (against Somerset, 1-29 from four overs of leg-spin). That was really exciting. It's always good to see someone come in with so much energy and vibrancy.
“Sixteen-years-old, it’s making me feel very old, I must admit!”
Lancashire now face an Essex side who have won two of their opening three games. They have a bit of momentum having beaten Yorkshire by three runs at Headingley last night defending 147.
They are coached by ex-Lancashire men’s spinner Stephen Parry, Thunder’s former assistant coach as well.
Batting all-rounder Grace Scrivens is their captain, while they haven’t signed an overseas player.
That momentum which Essex have is something Lancashire are craving as they bid for a top-four finish after 12 matches in the group for Finals Day qualification.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” added Lanning. “Although we lost the first few, we still felt like if we could get a win on the board and build some momentum, the games come thick and fast. I think that can work in your favour sometimes if you start to play some really good cricket.
“I feel like we've got up and running now and the belief's there within the group.
“Hopefully we can continue that.”
Opposition player to watch
Lancashire know all too well the capabilities Grace Scrivens has with bat and ball, and she can obviously affect a game with her captaincy too.
Scrivens, who has captained England A, is still only 22-years-old, yet she captained the old Sunrisers team to 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy glory in 2024 - the last year of the old regional structure.
Scrivens is primarily a left-handed opening batter but bowls very handy off-spin too.
Earlier this month, she hit 74 and took two wickets against Lancashire as Essex won a Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at Chelmsford, and she produced similar for the Eagles in last night’s T20 win over Yorkshire at Headingley.
She hit 53 in 146-7 before striking twice with the ball to help bowl the White Rose out for 143.
Previous meeting
Lancashire completed the Blast double over the Eagles last season, winning a rainy affair at Emirates Old Trafford by eight wickets on DLS as they chased a revised target of 52 in eight overs at the start of July
Just under a fortnight later, they then won at Chelmsford by four wickets chasing 108.
And it’s that fixture - settled off the game’s penultimate ball - we will take a look at in more depth here.
Mahika Gaur took the new ball and impressed with 3-22 from four overs as Essex were bowled out for only 107. Only Maddie Penna - a name familiar with Red Rose fans - and Lissy Macleod topped 20, with 22 and 23 respectively.
Tara Norris and Alana King also struck twice apiece.
In reply, Lancashire didn’t chase nerve-free by any stretch.
They slipped to 80-5, for example, in the 17th over as Australian overseas Penna struck twice with leg-spin.
In the end, a well-paced 59 off 58 balls from opener Eve Jones was key to getting Thunder over the line off the penultimate ball.
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