Match Preview: Yorkshire vs. Lancashire Thunder, Vitality Blast Women
Yorkshire v Lancashire Thunder
Vitality Blast, Women
Wednesday July 1, 2026, 2.30pm
York CC, Clifton Park
Chris Read believes Lancashire have fallen short in “key moments” in this summer’s Vitality Blast.
The Red Rose are all but out of the race for Finals Day cricket following a run of six defeats in seven. They sit second from bottom in the nine-team table with five points, 17 points off the all-important top four qualifying places with a maximum of 25 still available.
They were beaten by one run by Warwickshire at Blackpool on Sunday afternoon. In pursuit of 161, they fell from 147-4 late in the 18th over to finish on 159-8, failing to get three off the last ball to win.
“We've been in a lot of games, we've been competitive in a lot of games, and on Sunday I think we were up in the game for large parts of it,” said the head coach.
“We've just not managed to find enough match winners to get us over the line in key moments.
“In terms of the way we're going about our cricket, the way we're trying to play the game, we're making strides. I think we're probably scoring a faster rate than ever before. The way the bowling group is operating is pretty consistent.
“But, like I say, it's winning those key moments, those crucial moments. The chances, when they come along, it's nailing skills under pressure - and wanting to be the match-winner at the end of the day.”
While Lancashire have their backs to the wall in terms of qualification, they are still mathematically alive and will certainly not be giving up.
Next up are bottom side Yorkshire at York on Wednesday, starting at 2.30pm. They have played seven and lost six added to a No Result.
“There's still five games to play, so there's absolutely plenty to play for,” said Read. “We go on the road now for three away games, and that’s a real good opportunity for us to turn the tables.
“We're looking forward to Yorkshire and hopefully getting a win on the board and getting some momentum in this competition.
“In terms of the local derby, there's always a little bit extra on it.
“I don't necessarily feel we're playing the kind of cricket that merits being where we are in the table.
“I feel like we can go out and compete with anyone in the league, and that's ultimately what we've got to do across the next week or two. But, starting with Yorkshire, it’s a very good place to get things back on track.”
This is Yorkshire’s first season as a Tier 1 county. They have failed to get a win in the Blast, but they have won three games in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, including against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford in late April. They have also beaten league leaders The Blaze and another local rival in Durham.
Captained by former England wicketkeeper-batter Lauren Winfield-Hill, they have Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen as their overseas player.
Alice Clarke, on loan from Lancashire, will be unavailable to face her parent county.
Yorkshire were beaten by Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl in their last game on Friday afternoon.
Opposition player to watch
Jess Jonassen is having a fabulous season for Yorkshire.
The Australian overseas all-rounder, in the first year of two as an all-format overseas at Headingley, has starred with bat and ball, as Lancashire know all too well.
In 16 matches across the One-Day Cup and the Blast, ex-international Jonassen has scored 562 runs with three hundreds and has taken 26 wickets with her left-arm spin.
She has been more effective in 50-over cricket than T20 this season, something which you’d say describes Yorkshire as a team overall.
Yorkshire beat Lancashire in an early-season One-Day Cup game at Emirates Old Trafford, with Jonassen scoring 108 and taking 4-30 from her 10 overs.
Previous meeting
This is the first T20 meeting between Lancashire and Yorkshire in the professional era, though there was a number of Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 meetings between Thunder and the Northern Diamonds in the regional era between 2021 and 2024.
Thunder actually won four of the seven meetings between the two regions, though they lost the last fixture up at Durham in June 2024.
It was a remarkable game of cricket played on a nightmare of a pitch from a batting perspective.
Thunder were bowled out for 61 inside 15, with Tara Norris top-scoring with 13. Left-arm swing bowler Rachel Slater claimed three wickets for the Diamonds, who then slipped to 37-4 chasing to give their visitors a glimmer of hope.
Unfortunately though, former Thunder player Rebecca Duckworth, who is in line to play for Yorkshire at York, got Diamonds over the line in the 14th over with 21 not out.
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