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Match Preview: Hampshire Women v The Blaze, Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Match Preview: Hampshire Women v The Blaze, Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Hampshire host The Blaze in a top-of-the-table clash in their last group match of the summer at Utilita Bowl
Hampshire Women v The Blaze
Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Friday 15 May (10:30am start)
Trent Bridge
Hampshire are through to at least the semi-final of the women’s Metro Bank One Day Cup for a second successive season.
Georgia Adams’ side dominated proceedings against Yorkshire with a seven-wicket win over the White Rose to lock in second place as a minimum.
A bonus point win for Hampshire tomorrow against The Blaze will see the two sides level on points, but the East Midlands side have a game in hand – they visit bottom-of-the-table Essex on Friday.
Amanda-Jade Wellington claimed just her third List A five-for in over 150 matches last time out, whilst skipper Adams and Francesca Sweet both made half-centuries as Hampshire chased down a below-par 167 inside 39 overs.
The Blaze were impressive in their victory over Somerset at Trent Bridge.
Needing 71 to win at the end of the 30th over – with the chasing team needing to win by the end of the 39th over to secure a bonus point – Emma Jones smashed an unbeaten 53 from 44 deliveries, whilst Sarah Bryce raised her bat for 57, as it took Blaze just 8.3 overs to seal the win having been wobbling at 105 for four.
Spinner Lucy Higham claimed four for 28, whilst slingy pacer Charley Phillips added another scalp to see her remain the competition’s second-leading wicket-taker.
Hampshire
Hampshire have named a 16-player squad for their match against The Blaze at Utilita Bowl.
Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp return to the squad following England’s ODI series victory over Ireland. Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith are rested by the ECB.
Seamer Hannah Hardwick returns following her loan to Kent, where she scored 30 off 24 and took 1/31 in the White Horses’ 88-run win over Leicestershire.
Georgia Adams Captain (1)
Ella McCaughan (8)
Maia Bouchier (14)
Abi Norgrove (12)
Eliza Bristowe (18)
Rhianna Southby † (17)
Naomi Dattani (11)
Pippa Sproul † (7)
Daisy Gibb (15)
Francesca Sweet (13)
Hannah Hardwick (19)
Poppy Tulloch (24)
Nancy Harman (25)
Bex Tyson (35)
Freya Kemp (6)
Amanda-Jade Wellington (10)
The Blaze
Previewed by Jon Culley, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Captain: Kirstie Gordon
Head coach: Craig Cumming
2026 standings: 1st (12 wins, two losses, 56 points)
2026 highest run-scorer: Georgia Elwiss (554)
2026 highest wicket-taker: Charley Phillips (26)
Winter moves: Ireland international all-rounder Orla Prendergast, back for a third spell, will play in April and May and at the backend, with Australian all-rounder Charli Knott available for the three Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women fixtures that coincide with the T20 World Cup. England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn has moved to Yorkshire, with all-rounder Emma Jones joining from Surrey.
The big question: Given the wealth of talent in their squad, The Blaze underachieved in 2025, reaching three semi-finals but losing them all. With the benefit of a full pre-season under Kiwi coach Craig Cumming, they are confident of putting that right this year and, with the World Cup likely to deplete their ranks heavily in mid-summer, the One Day Cup might be their best chance of success. Can they hit the ground running?
Player to watch: Cassidy McCarthy’s T20 form has earned her a £65,000 deal with Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred this summer but she also impressed in the One Day Cup last season with 11 wickets in eight appearances. The 23-year-old right-arm seamer, selected for the England Women Performance Programme over the winter, could make an even bigger impact in this year’s competition.
Final thought: Called the Blaze since 2023, having previously evolved from Loughborough Lightning to Lightning, the Trent Bridge-based team will undergo another rebrand in 2027, coming into line with the rest of the professional women’s teams by adopting a county identity. If they can conjure some success in their final season, going out in a Blaze of glory will be a headline that is hard to resist.
Head-to-Head
Hampshire Women’s record in Metro Bank One-Day Cup matches v The Blaze:
Played
Won
Lost
Tied
No Result
3
1
2
0
0
Previous meetings:
May 15 2026 | Trent Bridge | Blaze won by three wickets (with 29 balls remaining)
July 30 2025 | Utilita Bowl | Hampshire won by 80 runs
May 4 2025 | Trent Bridge | Blaze won by seven wickets (with 79 balls remaining)
Ticketing
Tickets for Hampshire Women v The Blaze in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup are available by clicking here.
Coverage
The match will be live streamed on Hampshire Cricket’s YouTube channel with commentary from Jemma Green, Phil Green, and Rebecca Blake.
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.
