For match no. 48 of the ongoing 2023 edition of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Western Storm and Northern Diamonds are set to lock horns at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, on the 10th of September, 2023, at 3:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Western Storm – Sophie Luff, Emma Corney, Lauren Filer, Alex Griffiths, Nicole Harvey, Niamh Holland, Claire Nicholas, Lauren Parfitt, Mollie Robbins, Chloe Skelton, Sophia Smale, Fran Wilson, Nat Wraith
Northern Diamonds – Hollie Armitage, Leah Dobson, Rebecca Duckworth, Abi Glen, Yvonne Graves, Grace Hall, Beth Langston, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Lizzie Scott, Rachel Slater, Phoebe Turner, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Jessica Woolston
Players to watch out:
Emma Corney
The 19-year-old batter has had a good run in the ongoing edition of the RHF Trophy. In 7 outings, Emma has accumulated 201 runs at an average of 28.71 and recorded her best score of 69. Emma has grown in confidence as her campaign has progressed. Initially, she struggled with starts of 2, 2, 17, and 23, but she has now capitalized on them and registered scores of 69, 48, and 34 in her 3 recent outings.
Sophia Smale
The 18-year-old all-rounder has made her presence felt in the tournaments she has played this summer, whether it’s in the RHF Trophy or the even more competitive environment of The Hundred. In 9 RHF Trophy appearances this season, Sophia has taken 8 wickets in 8 games and has been more than useful with the bat, contributing 139 runs in 5 outings.
Lauren Winfield-Hill
The 33-year-old keeper-batter, in 55 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), has scored 1186 runs, with a highest score of 123, at an average of 23.25. Lauren has been out of the senior national side since March 2022 in ODIs. With the kind of season she has had, scoring 490 runs in 11 outings at a strike rate of 96.64, and registering 3 fifties and a century, with the highest being 116*, she would be hoping to make a comeback.
Jessica Woolston
The 20-year-old pacer was not part of the Charlotte Edwards Cup or The (Women’s) Hundred, but she has had a promising start to her RHF Trophy campaign. Jessica has taken 12 wickets in 10 outings, including a fifer (5/37), and has maintained an economy rate of 4.43. In 4 innings with the bat, she has contributed 22 runs. It will be worth watching what Jessica has in store for the brief remainder of the tournament.
Pitch:
The wicket at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, provides a certain degree of assistance to the batters. Although it is a batting-friendly surface, the average score at the venue remains in the 230s. Additionally, the spinners also benefit from ample assistance to exploit.
Weather:
The temperature is forecasted at around 23°C, with humidity of 81%, light winds, and a high chance of rain. Expect a delayed start and interruptions as shower spells are forecasted during the early match hours.
Fantasy playing XI:
Lauren Winfield-Hill, Fran Wilson, Alex Griffiths, Emma Corney, Hollie Armitage, Grace Hall, Katie Levick, Sophia Smale, Emma Marlow, Lizzie Scott, Jessica Woolston
Match details:
Date – September 10, 2023
Time – 3:00 PM IST
Venue – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Broadcast – A YouTube live-stream link for the game will be made available.