The Blaze have locked in six pivotal players with contract extensions, securing their services until at least 2027 and fueling ambitions for silverware in the ECB Women’s One Day Cup 2026 and beyond.
As the competition kicks off from April 11 to September 19, skipper Kirstie Gordon’s side opens against Lancashire, led by Eleanor Threlkeld, today, on April 15. News of this squad’s stability adds firepower to their title push. Head Coach Craig Cumming expressed delight at retaining this blend of experience and youth. “I’m really excited by being able to keep all of these players at The Blaze,” he said. “Retaining the core of the squad that has tasted success previously, and are passionate and driven to play for the Blaze, is exciting and will be very important as we move forward with the goal of bringing more success to Trent Bridge in the years to come.”
Four players, Cassidy McCarthy, Charley Phillips, Georgia Elwiss, and Ella Claridge, have inked one-year deals running until at least October 2027. The standout is 34-year-old Elwiss, England’s 54-cap veteran, who joined from Southern Vipers before the 2025 season. She dominated immediately, topping The Blaze’s run charts with 965 runs and snaring 17 wickets across formats in Vitality Blast and beyond.
“Playing for The Blaze over the past year has been a really enjoyable experience, so I’m thrilled to be staying for another two summers yet,” Elwiss shared. “It was really pleasing to be able to contribute in the way that I did last summer, and I’ve got a very clear target to repeat that over the next two summers as we go after some trophies.”
Youth injects dynamism too. Seamer Phillips, 22, switched from Sunrisers in 2024 and has taken 11 wickets in 11 outings. Fellow quick McCarthy, 23, from Sussex, erupted in 2025 with 24 wickets, crediting her growth: “I was really pleased with the season I had last year, and I feel that I’ve made a lot of progress in developing my game while I’ve been part of The Blaze. That’s what makes it so exciting to stay here for at least another two summers, because this group has so much potential to achieve some fantastic things.” Batter Claridge, also 23, smashed 317 runs last year before starring in seven games for the USA at the T20 World Cup Qualifier.
Meanwhile, Prisha Thanawala and Liv Baker, fresh from The Blaze Academy, commit for two years until at least October 2028, earmarked as the next wave. Cumming highlighted their trajectory: “All six players are at different stages of their development, but they either have already played really important roles for us, or have the potential to in the future. The opportunity to help these high-potential cricketers reach the best level they can, and see them keep contributing to the team moving forward, is a really exciting thought.”
With this reinforced backbone, The Blaze eye dominance in the One Day Cup and other formats alike, blending Elwiss’s nous with emerging talents primed to shine in the near future.
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