Player Profile
Red Rose captain Ellie Threlkeld has earned high praise for her skills as a wicketkeeper, with England legend Sarah Taylor saying in 2021: “She has got phenomenal hands - one of the best in the country.
Threlkeld is also a hugely talented middle order batter who has England A experience under her belt.
Threlkeld, now 26-years-old, hit a measured 91 in Lancashire Thunder’s 2022 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy defeat against Lightning before bettering that score in the final game of 2023.
In the same competition, she hit a brilliant 107 not out off 115 balls to seal a victory over Western Storm at Emirates Old Trafford in the same competition.
Threlkeld was named as Thunder’s One-Day player-of-the-year for two years running, in 2022 and 2023 - the former being her first as captain.
In the early stages of 2024, she topped 200 senior competitive career appearances for all teams in List A and T20 cricket.
In 2025, her first catch or stumping will be her 200th career victim.
Threlkeld is a real leader and ambassador for the county, added to her skills with gloves and bat.
She was born in Knowsley near Liverpool, a place made famous for its Safari Park. She will be aiming to lead Lancashire’s tigerish bid for silverware in 2025 having gone close in 2023 when she led the side to their first Finals Day appearance in the Charlotte Edwards Cup. They were beaten semi-finalists.
She is a product of the Rainford club near St Helens and is a former footballer for Wigan Athletic.
Threlkeld, who toured Australia with England A in early 2022, was an ever-present for Thunder across the five years of regional cricket.
She was also an ever-present for Lancashire Thunder in the days of the Kia Super League between 2016 and 2019.
Similar longevity in the new professional county structure will be ideal for Lancashire.
Despite her tender years, Threlkeld is a Lancashire stalwart and an inspirational leader who also skippered the Manchester Originals in the Hundred. But, in 2025, she will play for the Trent Rockets.
In all cricket, since making her senior debut in July 2013 - aged 14 - she has gone on to make 98 appearances for Lancashire in county cricket alone with a best of 110 in a 50-over friendly against the Lightning regional second team in 2022.
She was part of the Lancashire team which won the county one-day and T20 double in 2017 and captained the side as they won the 2022 regional T20 title.
In all women’s List A and T20 cricket, for all teams, she has made 225 career appearances.
She came through the Lancashire age-groups from Under 13s and has played Development, Academy and A cricket for England.
Threlkeld has played men’s cricket - and kept wicket - for Rainford’s first team in the Liverpool Competition.
She was a team-mate of England legend Taylor’s for a brief time in Lancashire Thunder colours during the days of the old Kia Super League.
Speaking about Threlkeld’s development three years ago, World Cup winner Taylor said: “She has got phenomenal hands - one of the best in the country.
“The talent has always been there. The next thing you know, she scores a fifty, gets more experience and knows her game a bit more.”
Her game is clearly in an exciting place now having developed significantly since those comments by Taylor - and that is fantastic news for all concerned with Lancashire.