Match Preview: Essex v Hampshire Hawks Women, Vitality Blast

Essex v Hampshire Hawks Women

Vitality Blast

Sunday 7^th June (2pm start)

Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford

Hawks Women return to Vitality Blast action as they hit the road to play Essex at Chelmsford.

Their previous came last Friday at Utilita Bowl in a thrilling tie against the reigning champions Surrey.

Amanda-Jade Wellington’s 3/25 helped bowl the visitors out for 121 but the Hawks slipped to 43/4 in reply. Nancy Harman’s 43 from 26 gave the Hawks hope but weren’t able to manage the seven runs they needed from the final over to win.

Essex were defeated in their last outing, also against the Three Feathers, at the Kia Oval despite skipper Grace Scriven’s unbeaten 85.

Hampshire Hawks

Hawks Women have named a 14-player squad for their Vitality Blast match against Essex.

Maia Bouchier returns following England’s T20 series wins over New Zealand and India .

Hannah Hardwick also included following her career-best T20 figures on loan for Kent. She claimed 4/18 against Worcestershire Rapids on Friday, with all four wickets being bowled.

Daisy Gibb misses out due to an injury with her knuckles and will be out for the next month.

Essex

Previewed by Ben Kosky, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Captain: Grace Scrivens

Overseas players: None

2026 standings: 3rd

2026 leading run-scorer: Grace Scrivens (183)

2026 leading wicket-taker: Eva Gray (8)

Key winter moves: Batter Liberty Heap, signed from Lancashire, is yet to feature for Essex – and the bigger issue as arguably who they’ve lost, rather than gained, since the 2025 Blast campaign. Lauren Winfield-Hill, back at Yorkshire after last season’s loan spell, was Essex’s leading run-scorer with Australian all-rounder Maddie Penna, now lining up for Lancashire, a close second.

The big question: It’s not only how Essex replace Winfield-Hill and Penna, but how they go about putting runs on the board collectively. The team only posted two totals above 160 last year, one in a dead rubber against Durham, and the likes of Cordelia Griffith, Grace Scrivens and recent England ODI cap Jodi Grewcock need to find ways of improving that.

Wildcard watch: Flo Miller has begun the 50-over tournament in good form, hitting unbeaten half-centuries against Somerset and Surrey and her strike rate of almost 96 is the best among Essex’s recognised batters. The 22-year-old could really come into her own as a T20 finisher – provided the top order give her a solid foundations to work with.

Final thought: Essex may miss Abtaha Maqsood’s wicket-taking skills in the post-powerplay overs while the leg-spinner is on World Cup duty with Scotland, but they possess a good stock of seamers who can do some damage. Esmae MacGregor’s return of 21 wickets was the second-best in last year’s Blast while Eva Gray, Sophie Munro and Kate Coppack should all help to make Essex more competitive, as long as they have something substantial to bowl at.

Head-to-Head:

Hampshire Hawks Women’s record in T20 matches v Essex Women:

Recent meetings:

• May 26 2026 | Utilia Bowl | Hawks won by 23 runs
• June 12 2025 | Chelmsford | Hawks won by 42 runs
• May 30 2025 | Utilita Bowl | Hawks won by 25 runs

Tickets

Tickets for Hampshire Hawks Women’s match against Essex are available here.

Coverage

The match will be live streamed on the Essex Cricket YouTube channel.

A live match centre with scorecard, statistics, and insight will be available via www.utilitabowl.com/cricket/news.

Fans can stay updated on the match via the Hampshire Cricket X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, where regular score updates, photos from the game, and match clips will be shared.

Weather Forecast

Please follow the link to view the latest weather forecast for Chelmsford: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653266.