The 3rd and final leg of the ongoing 2023 edition of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint (RHF) Trophy action resumes on the 5th of September, 2023, with Central Sparks facing off against The Blaze in match no. 42. This game will be played at the Edgbaston Foundation Community Sports Ground, Birmingham, and is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
It’s a clash of table-toppers led by Blaze, who currently sit at the top with 34 points. They’ve secured 6 wins and suffered a lone defeat in 10 games, with 3 matches abandoned due to bad weather. On the other hand, The Sparks have managed 5 wins, suffered a couple of losses, drawn one game, and had 2 matches affected by bad weather, accumulating a total of 27 points.
Squads:
Central Sparks – Eve Jones, Emily Arlott, Hannah Baker, Chloe Brewer, Ami Campbell, Poppy Davies, Georgia Davis, Bethan Ellis, Ria Fackrell, Abbey Freeborn, Katie George, Anisha Patel, Davina Perrin, Grace Potts, Liz Russell, Issy Wong, Maddy Green
The Blaze – Kathryn Bryce, Tammy Beaumont, Grace Ballinger, Georgie Boyce, Sarah Bryce, Ella Claridge, Kirstie Gordon, Teresa Graves, Josie Groves, Beth Harmer, Lucy Higham, Michaela Kirk, Cassidy McCarthy, Sophie Munro, Lizelle Lee
Players to watch out:
Bethan Ellis
The 24-year-old all-rounder hasn’t had a good run in the competition thus far, scoring only 43 runs and picking up just 2 wickets in 4 games. However, in the lead-up to the final leg of RHF Trophy fixtures, Bethan warmed up with a breezy 95-ball 84 in a friendly fixture against West Midlands County invitational. It’ll be worth watching if she can translate those runs into the upcoming games.
Grace Potts
The 21-year-old pacer has had a decent run in this summer’s RHF Trophy campaign, scalping 5 wickets at an economy rate of 4.07 in 8 innings, and has also been handy with the bat, contributing 30 runs. In the recently concluded 03 edition of The Hundred (Women’s), Grace only played one game for the Trent Rockets but comes in with a wealth of experience that could help her finish on a high.
Tammy Beaumont
The 32-year-old opening batter, with 106 One-Day International (ODI) appearances, has amassed 3616 runs, including a highest score of 168*. Tammy’s form this summer has been nothing short of incredible, as she consistently scored triple digits across formats and competitions. Before joining the senior women’s team for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, Tammy could use this game against The Sparks to get in a good hit.
Lucy Higham
The 25-year-old all-rounder has been in excellent form over the summer and left her mark in the recently concluded The Hundred (Women’s) by taking 9 wickets in 7 matches. In her 8 appearances in the RHF Trophy this season, Lucy contributed 56 runs and 6 wickets to her team’s success. She’ll look to leave a better impact in this competition before signing off.
Pitch:
The center wicket at the Edgbaston Foundation Community Sports Ground, Birmingham, offers a bowler-friendly surface that favors pacers. These conditions can be challenging for batters, as reflected in the average score of 119, suggesting another low-scoring match.
Weather:
It’ll be a bright sunny day at the Edgbaston Foundation Community Sports Ground, Birmingham, and the temperature is expected to hover at around 27°C with light winds and a humidity level of 58%. The absence of rain promises us a complete game of cricket.
Fantasy playing XI:
Abbey Freeborn, Tammy Beaumont, Eve Jones, Lizelle Lee, Issy Wong, Lucy Higham, Kirstie Gordon, Katie George, Sophie Munro, Georgia Davis, Grace Ballinger
Match details:
Date – September 5, 2023
Time – 3:00 PM IST
Venue – Edgbaston Foundation Community Sports Ground, Birmingham
Broadcast – A YouTube live-stream link will be made available for the game.