MATCH PREVIEW: Lancashire Women v Essex Women, Metro Bank One Day Cup Women
Lancashire v Essex
Metro Bank One-Day Cup, Women
Tuesday June 23, 2026, 10.30am
Blackpool CC, Stanley Park
Fi Morris has hailed Red Rose milestone duo Kate Cross and Ellie Threlkeld, saying: “We owe a hell of a lot to them.”
Last week, in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup win over The Blaze at Blackpool, Cross made her 100th all-format professional appearance for all Lancashire teams since the start of the Kia Super League in 2016, while captain Threlkeld notched up her 150th.
While Cross’s run has been broken by England availability, Threlkeld’s has been continuous. She is the only player in the country to have achieved that feat, to have never missed a domestic game since the start of the KSL.
Her matches have come for Lancashire Thunder, Thunder and Lancashire.
Of course, next month that run is set to be broken because the 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has been selected in England’s Test squad to face India at Lord’s next month, starting on July 10.
That means Threlkeld could miss Lancashire’s last two Vitality Blast matches against Yorkshire and Durham, on July 10 and 12 respectively.
All-rounder Morris said: “They’re two of my really good mates, and they’ve given so much to the club in probably different ways.
“Kate's someone who's played a lot for England. But for her to have played as much as she has for England and to have still got 100 caps for Lancs, that's the dedication to this club that she will always give.
“It's incredible, really, for Ellie to have played 150 games in a row, to be the first person to reach that milestone. I think she’s the only professional (in the country) to have never missed a game.
“It shows how hard they work and how much they give to this club, and we owe a hell of a lot to them as well.”
Lancashire return to Blackpool on Tuesday aiming for back-to-back 50-over wins. They face Essex Eagles, starting at 10.30am.
Lancashire beat league leaders The Blaze by 28 runs last Wednesday, defending a 240-target.
Morris starred with a middle-order 57 in Lancashire’s 239 all out before taking 4-33 in a successful defence, The Blaze bowled out for 211.
It was the Red Rose county’s third win in 10. The defending champions sit second from bottom and need to reach the top three to secure knockout cricket come September.
Tuesday’s game is the first of six remaining, and they realistically need to be perfect if they are to bridge a gap to third-placed Surrey which currently stands at eight points with a maximum of 30 available.
“We’re still in it,” said Morris. “We know we've had a really disappointing start. Obviously off the back of last year, being so successful, it's always harder to stay at the top sometimes than get to the top.
“We've been on the wrong side of a few results, a few close ones that maybe last year we would have got over the line. So to win what ended up being a fairly tight game (against The Blaze), I think sets us in really good stead going forward.
“We've been good enough to beat anyone on our day, as we proved last year. We've got to go on a bit of a run now.”
This is a clash between the two bottom sides in the group. While Lancashire are second from bottom with three wins from 10 games and 14 points, Essex are two points worse off but having also won three.
The Eagles are coached by ex-Red Rose assistant coach Stephen Parry, who was part of last year’s double-winning campaign.
They beat Lancashire in the reverse fixture at Chelmsford in early May. They were beaten last time out by Hampshire at home last Wednesday, the visitors chasing a 246-target to win by 10 wickets.
Both sides head into this fixture on the back of Vitality County T20 Cup round three matches on Sunday. Lancashire beat Buckinghamshire at Neston, while Essex beat Gloucestershire at Colchester.
Opposition player to watch
Two-time England ODI international Jodi Grewcock is having an impressive summer.
The leg-spinning all-rounder from Leicester, 21, played two internationals against New Zealand in May.
She is a top-order batter and a leg-spin bowler.
In this competition, left-handed batter Grewcock is Essex’s leading run-scorer with 425 from eight matches. She’s in the top five leading run-scorers alongside Eve Jones, who leads the way on 499 from 10.
She has also taken four wickets.
Grewcock has also had an encouraging first half of the Blast with the Eagles, and she should develop nicely under the guidance of head coach Stephen Parry, an expert - as we all know - when it comes to spin bowling.
Previous meeting
Lancashire were beaten at Chelmsford by five wickets in early May, Essex chasing down a target of 252 with three overs to spare.
Opener Eve Jones hit an excellent and measured 98 off 135 balls to underpin Lancashire’s 251-7 after they had been inserted, with Ellie Threlkeld also posting 51.
The Red Rose county’s progress was checked by the loss of early wickets; they were 26-2 and, when Jones and Threlkeld united, 76-3 in the 20th over.
The pair shared 127 for the fourth wicket, but unfortunately the loss of four wickets inside the last seven overs prevented significant acceleration. Seam and spin in the form of Sophie Munro and Grace Scrivens struck twice apiece.
Captain Scrivens had an excellent day. She hit 74 off 83 balls at the top of the Eagles’ order and shared an opening stand of 128 with Cordelia Griffith, who made 61. Jodi Grewcock from number three also contributed 58 to get their side ahead of the game, and Lancashire were unable to claw things back.
Five of Lancashire’s six bowlers used all struck once apiece.
;