Women's Vitality Blast: The Blaze v Somerset

Women’s Vitality Blast: The Blaze v Somerset

UPDATE

This match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Both teams will take two points.

THE MATCH

Somerset travel to Trent Bridge to take on The Blaze in the Vitality Blast today (Saturday June 7th).

Play is due to get underway at 3pm.

This match is part of a double header which will also see Notts Outlaws take on Worcestershire Rapids.

Tickets for this match are still available.

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HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?

You can keep up to date using the dedicated Match Centre on this website.

In-play updates will also appear on our X feed (formerly Twitter).

In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.

THE OPPOSITION

Captain: Kirstie Gordon

Overseas players: Maddy Green (New Zealand, first four matches), Heather Graham (Australia, last 10 matches)

Key winter moves: The big change for The Blaze has been off the pitch, where former New Zealand Test batter Craig Cumming takes over as head coach in place of Chris Guest, who guided the Trent Bridge-based team to its first silverware in the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition in 2024. Cumming arrives with a winning pedigree, though, having won two trophies in four years with Otago Sparks.

The big question: After last season’s impressive campaign established The Blaze at the top of the pile in the 20-over format, can anyone knock them off their perch? South East Stars, who ran them closest in 2024, have morphed into Surrey Women, with whom The Blaze shared 692 runs in an incredible 50-over tie at Beckenham earlier this month. There may be little between them over 20 overs too.

Wildcard watch: Charley Phillips – Such is the depth of The Blaze squad, some 15 of their number are already signed up for the 2025 edition of The Hundred. If they are to be joined by another team-mate, it may be Charley Phillips, who arrived from Sunrisers in the close season as a young bowler with pace and has already made a good impression.

Final thought: The Blaze squad contains four current England players but it is their Scottish triumvirate – skipper Kirstie Gordon and the Bryce sisters, Kathryn and Sarah – who are the heart of the team. Gordon was the leading 20-over wicket-taker in 2024, Kathryn Bryce the top runscorer and wicket-keeper Sarah had only one in front of her in the dismissals table. They may hold the keys to success again in 2025.

TEAM NEWS

Somerset will be without Heather Knight (hamstring), Charlie Dean (International duty), Dani Gibson (back) and Lola Harris (exams).

Hannah Jones is added to the squad after joining on a short-term loan from Lancashire.

The following squad has been named for this fixture:

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Ahead of the fixture, Somerset Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “Naturally everyone’s bitterly disappointed with results so far, we’ve been doing lots of things well but just haven’t had luck go our way. There’s huge frustration in the dressing room because players know they haven’t always shown what they’re capable of and haven’t got reward for their efforts so far but we have an opportunity to put that right tomorrow.

“Emma Corney has picked up an injury so we will need to make changes for the next game. We’ll take a look at the surface and conditions and select our team from there. Trent Bride is a great venue and hopefully we can put on a display that shows what we’re all about and make everyone proud.”