As per the latest standings in the Women’s T20 Blast 2026, the northern derby presents a classic top-versus-bottom clash. Durham Women find themselves sitting comfortably in 4th place with 12 points, having secured three wins from their opening four outings. Yorkshire Women, conversely, are enduring a miserable campaign, rooted firmly to the 8th spot with a structural zero on the points tally after four straight defeats and a damaging -1.094 Net Run Rate.
Squads:
Yorkshire Women’s Cricket Team
Ines Blackwell, Georgie Boyce, Ami Campbell, Claudie Cooper, Rebecca Duckworth, Grace Hall, Jess Jonassen, Sterre Kalis, Beth Langston, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater, Erin Thomas, Maddie Ward, Lauren Winfield-Hill (C), Jessica Woolston
Durham Women’s Cricket Team
Emily Windsor, Emma Marlow, Hollie Armitage, Leah Dobson, Suzie Bates, Katherine Fraser, Mady Villiers, Trudy Johnson, Bess Heath, Mia Rogers, Abigail Glen, Katie Levick, Lauren Filer, Lizzie Scott, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner
Players to watch out:
Sterre Kalis
Sterre Kalis has been a steady presence for Yorkshire Women, features prominently in the batting chart. Across 4 matches and 4 innings, she has put together 139 runs, anchoring the top order with a solid average of 34.75. Her highest score of 51 shows she can build a substantial innings, and she has kept things moving at a reasonable clip with a strike rate of 120.86, hitting 21 boundaries along the way.
Bess Heath
Bess Heath has provided some serious muscle for Durham Women. In her 4 appearances, she has hammered 149 runs at a strike rate of 152.04, making her one of the most dangerous strikers in the competition. Though she hasn’t been notched red-inkers with 0 not outs, her aggressive approach has yielded a top score of 61, backed up by 15 fours and 4 huge sixes.
Jess Jonassen
The experienced Australian all-rounder has been making an impact with the ball for Yorkshire Women. Jess Jonassen has picked up 6 wickets in her 4 matches so far. She has bowled a total of 16 overs, conceding 111 runs to maintain a tidy economy rate of 6.93, with her best bowling figures in an innings currently sitting at 3 for 25.
Heather Graham
Heather Graham has been in fantastic form leading the bowling attack for Durham Women. She has already snared 9 wickets in just 4 matches, making her one of the most lethal bowlers in the tournament. Bowling 15 overs and giving away 102 runs, she boasts a brilliant average of 11.33 and a sharp strike rate of 10.00, highlighted by a best performance of 3 for 19.
Pitch:
Historically a result-oriented surface, Headingley often provides plenty of lateral movement for the seamers early on, especially given the sloping run-ups that can test a bowler’s rhythm. Over recent seasons, however, there has been an intentional push toward preparing truer surfaces with reliable bounce where batters can confidently hit through the line once they survive the initial movement.
Weather:
The weather in Leeds is forecast to be mostly cloudy with a high temperature of 17°C and a low of 11°C. There is a 20% chance of rain during the day, accompanied by a 12 mph wind blowing from the west, which might offer a bit of extra swing to the quicks under the cloud cover.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Claudie Cooper, Jess Jonassen, Sterre Kalis, Rachel Slater, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Hollie Armitage, Mady Villiers, Trudy Johnson, Bess Heath, Katie Levick, Lauren Filer
Match Details:
Date – June 5, 2026
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – Headingley, Leeds
Broadcast – The ECB app, website, and YouTube channels
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