MATCH PREVIEW: The Blaze v Lancashire Women, Women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup
The Blaze v Lancashire
Women’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Wednesday April 14, 2026, 10.30am
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Squad to face The Blaze
Ellie Threlkeld*, Darcey Carter, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Eve Jones, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Ailsa Lister, Gaby Lewis, Fi Morris, Tara Norris, Grace Potts, Seren Smale
Emma Lamb has revealed the area she is targeting for improvement this summer as she looks to back up her stunning 2025 with Lancashire.
In all cricket for the Red Rose last year, including friendlies, Lamb racked up 1,338 runs in 27 matches at the top of the order, including 12 fifties and two hundreds.
She also added 20 wickets with her off-spin.
No batter in the country got close to her tally of 794 runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, and with it she was a regular feature for England, including at the World Cup through October.
Lamb has been speaking ahead of Wednesday’s One-Day Cup clash with The Blaze at Trent Bridge, starting at 10.30am.
The Red Rose won their opener at Durham on Saturday.
She said: “My T20 stuff is where I can probably improve. I want to keep progressing with that.
“I think you can always look back at a season, even a good season, and there are always bits you want to improve on. When you get to 100, can you push on to get 150? I guess it’s just about trying to be consistent with that kind of thing.
“But expanding my T20 game is something I want to do and up my scoring rates this year.”
Lamb’s comments about T20 improvement indicate the incredibly high standards she holds herself to. For, in 2025, the Prestonian scored 456 runs in 12 matches in that format with five fifties. She averaged 45.6.
Lamb’s World Cup appearances saw her bat in the middle order instead of opening, which might aid her development.
“I guess so,” she said. “It probably gave me the opportunity to expand my game in other areas, and I don’t just want to be a one-dimensional player.”
Lamb played a significant role in helping Lancashire get their title defence off to a flyer at Durham at the weekend, but more so with the ball than the bat.
In defence of a 304-target in 48 overs, she claimed 4-29 from eight overs of off-spin, picking up the key wicket of top-scorer Emily Windsor for 46.
Earlier, with the bat, she was removed for six as the Red Rose totalled 303-8.
That total was fashioned on the back of a stunning 176 partnership for the second wicket between Lamb’s opening partner Eve Jones (82) and Ireland overseas star Gaby Lewis, who made a sensational 131.
It was her second successive Lancashire century after starring in last September’s final win over Hampshire with 141 not out.
Lamb’s form with the blade will come, and the prospect of a top three of her, Jones and Lewis - something we didn’t see late last season because of injury and unavailability - is incredibly exciting.
Lamb added: “It definitely is exciting.
“The top order is really important, and those two - Eve and Gaby - one’s very experienced and the other is an international cricketer.
“Then, obviously, we have Meg Lanning coming in for T20.
“She always someone I’ve looked up to. Playing against her, you're always like, she's a big threat because she's such a good player. I can't wait to have her on our team this year.”
The Blaze sat out Saturday’s opening round of matches with there now being nine teams in Tier 1 following Yorkshire’s introduction. So this will be their first game of the season.
Captained by Scotland spin-bowling all-rounder Kirstie Gordon, they also have an Irish international as an overseas player in all-rounder Orla Prendergast.
The Blaze are coached by former New Zealand men’s batter Craig Cumming, who is about to start his second season in charge at Trent Bridge.
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