MATCH PREVIEW: Lancashire v Warwickshire, Women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup

MATCH PREVIEW: Lancashire v Warwickshire, Women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup

Lancashire face a key four days in their quest to win back-to-back Metro Bank One-Day Cup titles, starting at Southport against a Warwickshire side who have also been unable to get out of the blocks as desired.

Lancashire v Warwickshire
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Wednesday May 13, 2026, 10.30am
Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club, Southport

Squad to face Warwickshire Women

Ellie Threlkeld*, Darcey Carter, Alice Clarke, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Grace Johnson, Eve Jones, Hannah Jones, Ailsa Lister, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Maddie Penna, Grace Potts, Seren Smale 

The two counties are currently locked on 10 points apiece after six games, Lancashire only marginally ahead in seventh place in the nine-team table courtesy of a superior net run-rate.

As the old adage goes, ‘You can’t win a tournament in the first half of the campaign, but you can certainly lose it’. 

With that in mind, Lancashire must get themselves within striking distance of the top four ahead of the break for the Vitality Blast, making the clash with the Bears - and then Saturday’s trip to the Kia Oval to face Surrey - very, very important.

Head coach Chris Read summed things up succinctly before leaving Chelmsford last Wednesday, where Lancashire were beaten by Essex - their fourth defeat in six games.

“We’ve got two more games before the Blast starts and, we need some good results there,” he said. 

The defending champions have so far suffered four defeats in 2026, matching the number of times they were beaten in the whole of last year’s competition. 

But Lancashire’s director of cricket performance Mark Chilton, who has overall control of both the women’s and men’s programmes and sits above women’s director of cricket David Thorley, has urged patience.

“Winning trophies is hard,” he said. “You’ll probably be reflecting in five years’ time and realise just how much of a phenomenal effort it was to win two trophies in one season.

“We’ve obviously got members who expect trophies. We know it’s part of the territory, and it’s what we all strive for. It’s what we’re in the game to achieve. 

“But I think a realistic goal for us, and a better objective for both squads - women’s and men’s - should be to get into the back end of the competitions and give yourself a chance to win trophies.”

Lancashire’s two wins so far have come away at Durham in the opening round of fixtures last month and then against Hampshire at Emirates Old Trafford earlier this.

They have had some disruption with injuries and unavailability, chiefly through the loss of Ireland overseas opener Gaby Lewis, who only played the first two games of the summer before being sidelined and returning home.

The county have since replaced her with Australian batter Maddie Penna on a short-term basis. She has played the last two games.

“They actually had really good preparation for the season,” added Chilton. “There was a lot of positive noise around them, and I know Ready was very happy. But it just hasn’t quite happened yet. 

“There’s still time, and Ready’s a very pragmatic person. I think he'll bring them back to the process.

“It doesn't matter whether it's the women or men, you're trying - as coaches and management - just to stick to processes around helping individuals keep developing. 

“Then, hopefully, the team dynamics start to knit together to breed some confidence.”

While Lancashire were beaten last time out against Essex at Chelmsford last Wednesday, Warwickshire were beaten at home by Durham.

Captained by off-spinner Georgia Davis, they are coached by Ali Maiden.

Opposition player to watch 

This summer, Charis Pavely has led the way with the bat for Warwickshire.

Since last August, it has been teenaged opening batter Davina Perrin who has got a lot of the attention having scored a sensational 42-ball century in The Hundred Eliminator for the Northern Superchargers. 

Pavely, aged 21, has already played senior cricket for England - two T20s in Ireland in September 2024 - and the homegrown left-hander has shown why at the start of 2026.

From number five, earlier this month, she posted back-to-back scores of 128 not out and 127 in matches against The Blaze and Somerset, the latter which the Bears won. 

And Redditch-born Pavely is not just a threat with the bat, she’s very handy with the ball too, bowling her left-arm spin. 

She has returned a trio of two-wicket hauls, including both games in which she scored a hundred.

Previous meeting

Lancashire did the One-Day Cup double over Warwickshire last summer, winning at both Edgbaston and Sale.

In May, the Red Rose won away by 101 runs. Emma Lamb (88) and Mahika Gaur (three wickets) stood out with bat and ball.

At Sale in September, by which stage Lancashire had already secured semi-final qualification, they won a thriller by five wickets on DLS.

Warwickshire had posted 283-7 from their 50 overs, but Lancashire’s reply was halted halfway through the sixth over with the score 20-1 due to rain. 

Set a revised target of 172 to win in 22 overs, a thrilling second-wicket partnership of 106 off 73 balls between Gaby Lewis and Seren Smale ensured victory was achieved with five balls to spare.

Lewis top-scored with 75 off 53 balls and Smale 47 off 39. 

Not even a slip from 119-1 to 170-5 could affect the outcome.