When Warwickshire travel to Chelmsford to face Essex in the Women’s Blast T20 2026 opener, we will see two teams eager to rewrite their narratives from last year. Warwickshire had a bit of a rollercoaster previous season, flashing immense potential with 8 wins but ultimately missing the top bracket due to 5 costly losses. Essex, on the other hand, endured a tough run, managing just 4 victories and finishing near the bottom. This opener gives both squads a clean slate, but the pressure is squarely on Essex to prove they can hold their own against a side that has historically known how to string wins together.
Squads:
Essex Women’s Cricket Team
Alice Macleod, Cordelia Griffith, Florence Miller, Joanne Gardner, Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones, Eva Gray, Grace Scrivens, Jodi Grewcock, Amara Carr, Ariana Dowse, Abtaha Maqsood, Esmae MacGregor, Kate Coppack, Kelly Castle, Sophia Smale, Sophie Munro, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Madeline Penna, Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones
Warwickshire Women’s Cricket Team
Chloe Brewer, Meg Austin, Amuruthaa Surenkumar, Bethan Ellis, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Abbey Freeborn, Natasha Wraith, Emily Arlott, Georgia Davis, Hannah Baker, Hannah Hardwick, Hannah Rainey, Issy Wong, Katie George, Millie Taylor
Players to watch out:
Madeline Penna
Madeline Penna proved to be a reliable anchor for Essex Women during the 2025 campaign, providing crucial stability in the middle order. Across her 14 appearances, she stepped up to bat in 14 innings and remained unbeaten 3 times, highlighting her composure under pressure. She accumulated 313 runs over the season with a solid top score of 41*, maintaining a healthy average of 28.45. While her strike rate sat at 104.33, her ability to turn over strike and smash 38 boundaries and 5 sixes kept the scoreboard ticking when her team needed it most.
Davina Perrin
Davina Perrin was a standout explosive force at the top of the order for Warwickshire Women last season, making her a crucial player to watch. Featuring in 15 matches, she hammered 385 runs at an aggressive strike rate of 140.51, proving her ability to maximize the powerplay. Her season was highlighted by a brilliant high score of 87, along with two half-centuries. Showing plenty of intent, she cleared the ropes 5 times and cracked 52 boundaries, constantly keeping opposition bowlers on the back foot.
Esmae McGregor
Esmae McGregor enjoyed a phenomenal breakout year with the ball for Essex Women, ending up as one of the most lethal threats in the competition. In just 11 matches, the young bowler tore through batting lineups to claim 21 wickets at a brilliant average of 13.38. Her control was exceptional, maintaining an economy rate of 7.33 while striking nearly every 11 deliveries. The absolute highlight of her season was a stunning, match-winning spell of 4/8 that firmly cemented her reputation as a genuine strike bowler.
Millie Taylor
Millie Taylor was the undisputed spearhead for Warwickshire Women’s bowling attack last season, finishing at the very top of the wicket-taking charts. Playing in all 16 matches, she weaponized her variations to pick up 22 wickets with an impressive average of 16.50. She was a constant threat throughout her 48 overs, maintaining a strike rate of 13.09 to regularly break partnerships. Though she didn’t record a four-wicket haul, her remarkable consistency and a best bowling performance of 3/13 made her an invaluable asset.
Pitch:
Chelmsford is traditionally a batting paradise with true bounce, though it can offer a bit of nibble for the seamers early on before turning into a spin-friendly surface later in the game.
Weather:
Expect completely sunny skies with an afternoon high of 27°C. A gentle southerly breeze of 11 mph and 0% chance of daytime rain mean uninterrupted play.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Amuruthaa Surenkumar, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Hannah Baker, Millie Taylor, Joanne Gardner, Jodi Grewcock, Abtaha Maqsood, Esmae MacGregor, Madeline Penna, Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones
Match Details:
Date – May 22, 2026
Time – 7:00 PM IST
Venue – County Ground, Chelmsford, England
Broadcast – The ECB app, website, and YouTube channels.
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