MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS | Thunder vs South East Stars

MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD NEWS | Thunder vs South East Stars

Table of Contents

SQUAD NEWS

England’s Kate Cross and Emma Lamb return to the squad after a week with England ahead of the Ashes this summer.

The bulk of the squad remains unchanged from Thunder’s trip to the Ageas Bowl on Thursday.

Squad: Ellie Threlkeld*, Olivia Bell, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Naomi Dattani, Deandra Dottin, Mahika Gaur, Liberty Heap, Laura Jackson, Emma Lamb, Fi Morris, Daisy Mullan, Tara Norris, Seren Smale

MATCH PREVIEW

Liberty Heap says she is loving life at the top of the Thunder’s batting order in the ongoing Charlotte Edwards Cup.

Heap, aged 19, has been elevated up from the lower middle order in 50-over cricket to unleash her attacking game on the new ball in the T20 format, and it has yielded a decent amount of success so far.

The dynamic England Under 19s star has been an ever-present for Thunder this year – her first as a full-time contracted player.

That has included a run of five games in the ongoing T20 in which she has only failed to reach 20 once in five innings.

She has posted scores of 22, 26, a regional best 46 and 22 in Thunder’s run of two wins and three defeats in this competition, with the 46 coming in last Saturday’s win over Sunrisers at Emirates Old Trafford as they chased down 117 to win by seven wickets.

Heap’s form has been one of the high points in a mixed campaign for Thunder, one which has yielded two wins and three defeats.

“It’s a different challenge than it is coming in later in the innings, but it’s something I’ve definitely really enjoyed,” said Heap.

The Lowerhouse youngster has been speaking ahead of Thunder’s clash with South East Stars at Blackpool on Sunday (2.30pm), one they must win if they are to maintain hopes of a top-three finish and Finals Day cricket at Worcester on June 10.

This is their penultimate fixture. With 10 points to play for, they are currently four points adrift of third-placed Southern Vipers, who have a game in hand (tomorrow against Central Sparks).

Thunder were beaten by Vipers at Southampton in their last fixture on Wednesday, the hosts chasing down 116 to win by four wickets.

In that game, Heap opened the batting with Naomi Dattani instead of Emma Lamb, who was unavailable due to Ashes preparations with England.

Heap has pointed to Lamb as a significant influence on her own development as a player.

“I love batting with Lamby, and we do have quite a similar game plan,” said aggressive Heap.

“She’s definitely someone I look up to in terms of how she goes about her innings and sets herself. It’s a new thing for me, opening the batting, and it’s good to have her support.

“It’s trying to learn from her about how she sets her innings in different situations.”

Quite how much Thunder will see of Lamb during the next couple of months is a question only England’s management can answer, with the Prestonian set to feature heavily in the Ashes.

There is a clash of dates with the multi-format Ashes through July, but if it continues that Lamb is only considered in Test Match and ODI cricket then she could be made available for a couple of Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches at the start of next month.

But it does look inevitable that Thunder will need to find a replacement for her at the top of the order in 50-over cricket at some point soon.

Could that be Heap, who has previously batted down at seven and played the finisher’s role?

“I guess that’s a question I can’t really answer,” she added.

“That comes down to the team dynamics and where the coaches want me to bat and what type of role they want me to play.

“I’m more of an aggressive batter, which T20 requires that bit more.

“But it’s a side of my game that I’ll be looking to develop in the future, for sure.”

The Stars have also won two and lost three so far, but their task to reach Finals Day is even tougher given they sit a point further back than Thunder on eight and with an inferior net run-rate compared to all the teams currently occupying the top three places, Blaze, Northern Diamonds and the Vipers.