England Cricket Board (ECB) has declared that this year, the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy (RHFT) will be played along with a new tournament which is the Women’s Regional T20 Tournament. While the Rachael Heyhoe Flint trophy will start from June 12, the Women’s Regional cricket T20 will be starting from the 26th of June. Both the tournaments will be played in tandem right until September.
Southern Vipers had won the inaugural edition of the 50-over RHFT which was constituted in the memory of Baroness Rachael Heyhoe Flint OBE, who led England to its first-ever World Cup in 1973. She was a pioneer in her cricketing days and it was her dedicated efforts to achieve a level playing ground for female cricketers which paved the way for present-day players.
While declaring the fixtures, ECB Managing Director of women’s cricket Clare Connor said, “This promises to be a truly memorable summer of cricket for the women’s game. I am particularly proud that we will continue to move forward with Rachael Heyhoe Flint’s name, with everything she represented for women’s cricket, firmly entrenched in our journey.”
“The launch of women’s regional cricket last summer, despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, was another significant step forward for our domestic game. We are now looking forward to seeing those regional teams play twice as much cricket this summer with the addition of the T 20 competition,” signs off Connor.
Schedule
Saturday, May 29: Northern Diamonds v Central Sparks (Headingley), Western Storm v Thunder (Bristol), Sunrisers v South East Stars (Chelmsford), Southern Vipers v Lightning (Southampton)
Monday, May 31: Lightning v Northern Diamonds (tbc), Central Sparks v Western Storm (Edgbaston), South East Stars v Southern Vipers (tbc), Thunder v Sunrisers (tbc)
Saturday, June 5: South East Stars v Western Storm (The Oval), Sunrisers v Northern Diamonds (tbc), Thunder v Lightning (tbc), Southern Vipers v Central Sparks (tbc)
Saturday, June 12: Northern Diamonds v South East Stars (Headingley), Lightning v Sunrisers (tbc), Central Sparks v Thunder (Worcester), Western Storm v Southern Vipers (tbc)
Friday, September 10: Northern Diamonds v Western Storm (Riverside), South East Stars v Lightning (tbc), Sunrisers v Central Sparks (tbc), Thunder v Southern Vipers (tbc)
Sunday, September 12: Northern Diamonds v Thunder (Riverside), Central Sparks v South East Stars (Worcester), Western Storm v Lightning (Bristol), Sunrisers v Southern Vipers (tbc)
Saturday, September 18: Lightning v Central Sparks (tbc), South East Stars v Thunder (tbc), Western Storm v Sunrisers (Bristol), Southern Vipers v Northern Diamonds (tbc)
Wednesday, September 22: Play-off – 2nd v 3rd
Saturday, September 25: Final – 1st v Winner play-off
Source – Sky Sports
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