The preliminary woman’s metro bank a daycare in 2025 begins on April 19, and here’s all you need to know.
The eight counties from Tier One in the Women’s Cricket compete for the Metro Bank One Day Cup, with the remaining 10 fighting for the one day Cup League 2.
Upper level: Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze (Nottinghamshire), Warwickshire
League to: Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids, Yorkshire
Durham
Led by Captain Hollie Armitage, Durham is in good hands with the all-rounder who bats, bowls of bone spin and also impresses on the field.
Her strongest performance is with bats, and the 27-year-old, who is ready to captain England a women’s team for their upcoming tour to Australia, hoping for some big scores that will help her become a regular choice for the main team.
Allrounder Phoebe Turner has impressed with the northern diamonds, and the 21-year-old also hopes to catch the English voters’ attention.
Their overseas choices of New Zealand -captain Suzie Bates will add experience to the team, and with England Pacer Lauren Files also in the mix Durham has plenty to turn to.
Team: Hollie Armitage (Captain), Suzie Bates, Leah Dobson, Lauren Filer, Katherine Fraser, Abi Glen, Bessh, Trudy Johnson, Katie Levick, Emma Marlow, Mia Rogers, Lizzie Scott, Phoebe Turner, Sophia Turner, Mady Viliers, Emily Windsor.
Essex
After most of the time, the Sunrisers team held together, which won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy last season, Essex will go into this season full of confidence.
They are led by 21-year-old Grace Scrivens, who has plenty of experience in high-pressure situations after leading below 19 England’s side to the World Cup in 2023.
Slow Left-Harmer Sophia Smale has big boots to fill after Mady Villiers’ departure to Durham, but the 20-year-old has impressed with the U19s and in a hundred, so will bring confidence.
With a strong bowling-line-up that also includes 23-year-old seams Sophie Munro, and Ben-Spin duo Jodi Grewcock and Abtaha Maqsood, Essex will strongly rely on their opening matches scoring big.
Team: Grace Scrivens (Captain), Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones, Amara Carr, Kelly Castle, Kate Coppack, Ariana Dowse, Jo Gardner, Eva Gray, Jodi Grewcock, Cordelia Griffith, Esmae MacGregor, Lissy Macleod, Abta Maqsood, Flo Miller, Sophie Munro, Sophia narrow.
Hampshire
Former head coach Charlotte Edwards won seven trophies and increased lots of cricketers. Now Hampshire has to look at life beyond when Edwards begins his reign as England’s main coach.
Former Essex men’s captain Paul Prichard is now responsible and has a challenging task ahead of him to match up to Edwards.
However, the cricketing icon Else Perry will play for Hampshire Hawks in this summer’s vitality. The Australian AllRounder expressed his disappointment of missing out on working with Charlotte Edwards At Hampshire, but thinks she can turn things around for England as their new head coach.
Charlotte Edwards was appointed England’s new main coach earlier this year
Perry is the world’s top-ranked women’s all-rounder, which boasts several acclaims, including two-time ICC-Windens Cricketer in the year, named ICC Player of the Decade by 2020, and winning Australia’s woman’s international cricketer in the year on three occasions.
The youngest ever cricketer, male or female, to represent Australia, Perry has been at the top of the game in the best part of 20 years and is one of the most decorated athletes in the world.
She is ready to make her Hampshire debut at Chesterfield on July 4 against The Blaze before making her Utilita Bowl debut for Hawks against Somerset on July 6.
Team: Georgia Adams (Captain), Charli Knott, Else Perry, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Nancy Harman, Linsey Smith, Rhianna Southby, Norway, da Poppy Tulloch (Rookie), Daisy Gibb (Rookie).
Lancashire
Lancashire has only reached it past the group steps once over five years of regional cricket, so it will be one of their goals this season.
They have the experience of senior England’s Seamer Kate Cross and slow left arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, toping the ICC hit lists for best ODI Bowler.
Bowling-Line-Up will also see Australia’s Alana King joining Lancashire as the overseas signature. The 29-year-old Ben-Spinner took 23 wickets under the women’s ash earlier this year, the most taken by a bowler with Ash Gardner, who also picked up 23 in the previous ash in 2023.
Australia’s Alana King and Beth Mooney celebrate preserving women’s ash against England
Lancashire will be led by Wicketkeeper -dough Ellie Threlkeld, who hopes to preserve her domestic form.
Team: Ellie Threlkeld (Captain), Olivia Bell, Alice Clarke, Danielle Collins, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Phoebe Graham, Liberty Heap, Hannah Jones, Alana King, EMA Lamb, Ailsa Lister, Katie Mack, Fi Morris, Sophie Morris, Tarris, Tarris, Tara Norris, Hansa Lister, Seren, Seren, Seren, Seren, Seren, Seren, Serenahah Smalle.
Somerset
On paper, Somerset’s team is strong with England’s former Captain Heather Knight, off-spinner Charlie Dean and allrounder Danielle Gibson. However, most of these players are probably absent due to England, which can be a defining factor in their success.
Charlie Dean along with former English Captain Heather Knight
Australian Ben-Spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington will connect with Somerset, and her wicket-take ability will mean she is dangerous to play against. But not only that, the 27-year-old is also known to be a fiery dough by the tail.
Team: Heather Knight, Emma Corney, Sophie Luff, Fran Wilson, Rebecca Odgers, Charlie Dean, Dani Gibson, Alex Griffiths, Niamh Holland, Amelie Munday, Erin Vukusic, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Olivia Barnes, Katie Jones, Jess Hazell, Laura Jackson, Lola Harris, Chooe, Chooe, Chooe, Katie Jones, Jess Hazell, Laura Jackson, Lola Harris, Chooe Mollie Robbins, Ellie Anderson.
Surrey
There is plenty of England talent in the ranks for Surrey, as well as it opens batting couple Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Allrounder Alice Capsey, who should give them a strong start.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge Bowled by Alana King in the second ODD in the Women’s Ashes series
Led by Bryony Smith, Surrey hopes to catch some silverware after being just short in previous seasons. There are plenty of experience in the troop as well as some rising stars, including Tilly Corteen-Coleman, who was the youngest player ever to join a hundred when she debuted for the southern brave of only 16.
Team: Bryony Smith (Captain), Alice Capsey, Kira Chathli, Priyanaz Chatterji, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Aylish Cranstone, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophia Dunkley, Tash Farrant, Phoebe Franklin, Danielle Gregory, Charlotte Lambert, Emma Jone, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Bethan Miles Monaghan, Kalea Moore, Paige Scholfield, Jemima Spence, Alexa Stonehouse, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
The fire
Blaze won the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2024 under Chris Guest and hopes to repeat this success this time. This time, however, it will be under Craig Cumming after the guest traveled to lead England’s U19 side.
They also have lots of England players in the ranks, including Sarah Glenn, Night Sciver-Brown and Tammy Beaumont, so they hope to use it to their advantage.
They have also added England Wicketkeeper Amy Jones to the setup to give them a bigger boost, and after failing to reach it to the knock-out phases last season, Captain Kirstie Gordon hopes to put it right.
Tammy Beaumont plays for the fire this season as they seem to win some more silverware
Team: Kirstie Gordon (Captain), Grace Ballinger, Sarah Glenn, Georgie Boyce, Josie Groves, Cassidy McCarthy, Lucy Higham, Sarah Bryce, Night Sciver-Brown, Tammy Beaumont, Kathryn Bryce, Prisha Thanawala, Charley Phillips, Marie Kelly Claridge, Georgi Elwiss, Amy Jones, Olivia Baker, Amy Wheeler, Scarlett Hughes, Heather Graham, Orla Prendergast.
Warwickshire
With the full integration of the women’s team into the county setup, Warwickshire is at the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.
They will become captain of off-spinner Georgia Davis with Ali Maiden named as their head coach, both of whom will be under pressure to deliver results.
Team: Georgia Davis (Captain), Meg Austin, Em Arlott, Chloe Brewer, Hannah Baker, Bethan Ellis, Abbey Freeborn, Katie George, Hannah Hardwick, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Amu Surenkumar, Millie Taylor, Issy Wong, Nat Wraith.