Contents

2023 The Blaze (women's cricket) season

The Blaze

2023 season
Coach	Chris Guest
Captain	Kirstie Gordon
Overseas player	Nadine de Klerk Lizelle Lee
RHFT	Runners-up
CEC	Runners-up
Most runs	RHFT: Tammy Beaumont (317) CEC: Georgie Boyce (200)
Most wickets	RHFT: Grace Ballinger (18) CEC: Nadine de Klerk (15)
Most catches	RHFT: Marie Kelly (9) CEC: Marie Kelly (5)
Most wicket-keeping dismissals	RHFT: Sarah Bryce (17) CEC: Sarah Bryce (1)
← 2022

The 2023 season saw The Blaze compete in the 50 over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the Twenty20 Charlotte Edwards Cup. The season was the first since their rebrand as The Blaze, having previously been known as Lightning, with the team also primarily based at Trent Bridge, having previously been based at Loughborough University.^[1][2] The side were runners-up in both competitions. In the Charlotte Edwards Cup, the side finished top of the group stage, winning all seven of their matches, but lost to Southern Vipers in the final.^[3][4] In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, the side finished second in the group stage before beating South East Stars in the play-off, but again lost in the final to Southern Vipers.^[5][6][7]

The side was captained by Kirstie Gordon and coached by Chris Guest.^[8][9] They played two home matches apiece at Trent Bridge, Grace Road, John Fretwell Sporting Complex and Haslegrave Ground, as well as one apiece at the County Ground, Derby and Queen's Park.^[10][11]

On 18 April 2023, it was confirmed that Bethan Ellis had left the side, joining Central Sparks.^[12] Ahead of the 2023 season, it was confirmed that Katie Midwood, Ilenia Sims, Alicia Presland and Rhiannon Knowling-Davies were no longer in the side's full squad.^[8]

On 22 November 2022, it was confirmed that Cassidy McCarthy had joined the side on a retainer contract.^[8] On 20 February 2023, The Blaze announced the signing of England players Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sarah Glenn from Northern Diamonds and Central Sparks, respectively.^[13] On 23 March 2023, it was announced that the side had signed Nadine de Klerk as an overseas player.^[14] In September 2023, Lizelle Lee signed as an overseas player for the side's remaining Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches, replacing Nadine de Klerk.^[15] In September 2023, Rhiannon Knowling-Davies returned to the full squad, first being named in a matchday squad on 9 September 2023.^[16]

On 16 September 2022, it was announced that Lightning would be moving their regional base from Loughborough UniversitytoNottinghamshire County Cricket Club, and that the name and branding of the team would change.^[1] On 11 November 2022, it was announced that the team would now be known as The Blaze.^[2] On 22 November 2022, The Blaze announced the players who had signed professional contracts for the upcoming season, with Georgie Boyce and Sophie Munro signing their first such contracts with the side.^[8] On 1 February 2023, The Blaze announced a further three players who had been awarded professional contracts with the side, with Grace Ballinger, Teresa Graves and Josie Groves all signing their first such contracts.^[17] In April 2023, it was announced that Kirstie Gordon would be the side's new captain, replacing Kathryn Bryce.^[18]

• Age given is at the start of The Blaze's first match of the season (22 April 2023).

Name	Nationality	Birth date	Batting Style	Bowling Style	Notes
Batters
Georgie Boyce	England	(1998-10-04)4 October 1998 (aged 24)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Bethany Harmer	England	(2000-10-30)30 October 2000 (aged 22)	Right-handed	Right-arm off break
Marie Kelly	England	(1996-02-09)9 February 1996 (aged 27)	Right-handed	Right-arm off break
Lizelle Lee	South Africa	(1992-04-02)2 April 1992 (aged 31)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	Overseas player; September 2023
All-rounders
Kathryn Bryce	Scotland	(1997-11-17)17 November 1997 (aged 25)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Nadine de Klerk	South Africa	(2000-01-16)16 January 2000 (aged 23)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	Overseas player; April to July 2023
Teresa Graves	England	(1998-10-10)10 October 1998 (aged 24)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Nat Sciver-Brunt	England	(1992-08-20)20 August 1992 (aged 30)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Wicket-keepers
Tammy Beaumont	England	(1991-03-11)11 March 1991 (aged 32)	Right-handed	—
Sarah Bryce	Scotland	(2000-01-08)8 January 2000 (aged 23)	Right-handed	—
Ella Claridge	England	(2002-09-28)28 September 2002 (aged 20)	Right-handed	—
Michaela Kirk	South Africa	(1999-06-30)30 June 1999 (aged 23)	Right-handed	Right-arm off break
Bowlers
Grace Ballinger	England	(2002-04-03)3 April 2002 (aged 21)	Left-handed	Left-arm medium
Sarah Glenn	England	(1999-08-27)27 August 1999 (aged 23)	Right-handed	Right-arm leg break
Kirstie Gordon	England	(1997-10-20)20 October 1997 (aged 25)	Right-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox	Captain
Josie Groves	England	(2004-09-05)5 September 2004 (aged 18)	Right-handed	Right-arm leg break
Lucy Higham	England	(1997-10-17)17 October 1997 (aged 25)	Right-handed	Right-arm off break
Rhiannon Knowling-Davies	England	Unknown	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	Joined September 2023
Cassidy McCarthy	England	(2002-07-23)23 July 2002 (aged 20)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium
Sophie Munro	England	(2001-08-31)31 August 2001 (aged 21)	Right-handed	Right-arm medium

  advanced to the final   advanced to the play-off

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Central Sparks 0

• Sunrisers won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Sunrisers 0

• No toss.
• No play was possible due to rain.
• Points: The Blaze 2, North West Thunder 2

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Northern Diamonds 0

• Western Storm won the toss and elected to field.
• No further play was possible due to rain.
• Points: The Blaze 2, Western Storm 2

• Western Storm won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 4, Western Storm 0

• Northern Diamonds won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Northern Diamonds 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 4, Southern Vipers 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to bat.
• Match reduced to 48 overs per side due to rain; South East Stars target was 159.
• Points: South East Stars 5, The Blaze 0

• No toss.
• No play was possible due to rain.
• Points: North West Thunder 2, The Blaze 2

• Central Sparks won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 4, Central Sparks 0

• South East Stars won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: South East Stars 5, The Blaze 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: Sunrisers 4, The Blaze 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: Southern Vipers 5, The Blaze 0

• South East Stars won the toss and elected to bat.
• The Blaze innings reduced to 10 overs due to rain; target was 52.

• Southern Vipers won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 48 overs per side due to rain.

Source: ESPN Cricinfo^[19] Qualification: 200 runs.

Source: ESPN Cricinfo^[20] Qualification: 10 wickets.

  advanced to final   advanced to the semi-final

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 4, South East Stars 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 5, North West Thunder 0

• Central Sparks won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Central Sparks 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 4, Southern Vipers 0

• Northern Diamonds won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Northern Diamonds 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: The Blaze 5, Sunrisers 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: The Blaze 4, Western Storm 0

• The Blaze won the toss and elected to bat.
• Rain interrupted The Blaze innings at 53/4 from 9.3 overs on 10 June. Play resumed on the reserve day on 11 June.

Source: ESPN Cricinfo^[21] Qualification: 100 runs.

Source: ESPN Cricinfo^[22] Qualification: 5 wickets.