The stage is set for an exciting clash at the top half of the table as Surrey Women play host to Durham Women in match 11 of the Women’s T20 Blast 2026. Surrey have had a flawless start to their campaign, sitting comfortably at the summit of the points table with 8 points from 2 matches, courtesy of two wins and a healthy Net Run Rate of +1.516. Durham, on the other hand, find themselves in fifth position but remain unbeaten, having clinical taken maximum points from their sole outing so far. With 4 points and a strong +1.600 NRR, a win could see the visitors rapidly climb the standings and disrupt the current top order.
Squads:
Surrey Women’s Cricket Team
Alice Capsey, Aylish Cranstone, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kira Chathli, Sophia Dunkley, Alexa Stonehouse, Alice Davidson-Richards, Alice Monaghan, Bryony Smith, Emma Jones, Grace Harris, Paige Scholfield, Phoebe Franklin, Priyanaz Chatterji, Jemima Spence, Bethan Miles, Charlotte Lambert, Danielle Gregory, Kalea Moore, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Tash Farrant, Tilly Corteen-Coleman
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:
Bryony Smith
Bryony Smith kicked off her T20 campaign in an incredibly destructive fashion, lighting up the tournament early on with her aggressive approach at the top of the order. Across her first 2 matches, she has already hammered 92 runs at a blistering strike rate of 213.95, averaging 46.00. Her ability to dismantle bowling attacks from the get-go is clear from her boundary count, having already smashed 15 fours and 3 sixes. Her early form makes her one of the most impactful openers to watch as the tournament progresses.
Hollie Armitage
Hollie Armitage made an immediate impact in her solitary outing of the tournament so far, anchoring her team’s batting effort with a crucial, authoritative half-century. In her single match and innings, she compiled a well-made 64 runs off the bat, striking at a healthy 130.61. Her calculated knock was built on finding the gaps effectively, dispatching 6 boundaries while anchoring the innings without needing to clear the ropes. It is a composed start that sets a brilliant benchmark for her upcoming fixtures.
Ryana MacDonald-Gay
Ryana MacDonald-Gay has made a solid, dependable start to her bowling campaign, proving to be a key asset in the tournament’s early stages. Across her first 2 matches, she has bowled a full quota of 8.0 overs, delivering 48 balls and picking up 3 wickets in the process. She has maintained a steady bowling average of 17.33 while conceding 52 runs, showing she can hold her nerve and apply pressure on opposing batters. Her ability to consistently hit the right lengths makes her a vital part of the bowling attack as the tournament builds momentum.
Bess Heath
Looking at Bess Heath’s established T20 footprint across the major global leagues, her numbers reveal a clean-hitting middle-order wicketkeeper-batter who thrives on quick cameos. In the Women’s 100, she has featured in 39 matches (30 innings) for the Superchargers, scoring 257 runs with a top score of 57, maintaining a strike rate of 123.55 alongside 13 catches and 5 stumpings. Meanwhile, her stints in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) across two different teams have yielded 299 runs in 23 matches (19 innings) at a strike rate of 113.25, highlighting her reliability with 41 boundaries and a top score of 51.
Pitch:
Expect a typical true and hard Kennington Oval surface that offers superb value for shots, excellent bounce, and a fast outfield heavily favoring batters. While pace bowlers can extract a bit of early movement under any morning cloud cover, the track historically remains flat and consistent, with only minor turn for the spinners later in the game.
Weather:
The Oval will see ideal cricket weather, with mostly bright, sunny intervals during the day and a peak temperature of 26°C. Clear conditions and low humidity (58%) mean a minimal 20% chance of rain, though it will turn mostly cloudy into the evening as temperatures dip to 14°C.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Alice Capsey, Alice Davidson-Richards, Alice Monaghan, Bryony Smith, Danielle Gregory, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Emily Windsor, Hollie Armitage, Katherine Fraser, Mady Villiers, Bess Heath
Match Details:
Date – May 27, 2026
Time – 4:00 PM IST
Venue – Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
Broadcast – The ECB app, website, and YouTube channels
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