Central Sparks face a trip up the M1 to take on the Northern Diamonds in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on Saturday.
Their last outing was over before it started as the weather forced an abandoned game against Western Storm. So, the Sparks come into this game looking for their third win on the spin.
OVERVIEW
Fixture: Northern Diamonds v Central Sparks
Competition: Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
Date: Saturday 15 July 2023
Game Start: 10:30am
Venue: Headingley Stadium
Central Sparks
The Central Sparks are unbeaten in their last three games having two wins and an un-played game against Storm. Having returned to 50 overs action with a fresh approach and in good form, Sparks will be hoping to add to their run with another win on the road in West Yorkshire as they face the Diamonds who sit just a place behind Lloyd Tennant’s side.
In the game at Guildford against the Stars, both Charis Pavely and Issy Wong shone with the bat, while Georgia Davis and Katie George picked up three wickets each with ball in hand.
Tennant has said that his team is becoming a more well-rounded and competitive side, which is something that has been coming all season, and is finally coming to the fore now.
Northern Diamonds
The Diamonds sit third in the RHFT table, just a place behind the Sparks and since their return to 50 overs action, Saturday’s hosts have won one and lost two. The win came against the South East Stars, which was also the side the Sparks last defeated.
Lauren Winfield-Hill is back in the fold for the Diamonds, after she was involved in England duty a few weeks ago. She has scored plenty of runs in the competition so far, along with the likes of Hollie Armitage and Leah Dobson.
The Diamonds lost to Thunder on Tuesday, in a game where they fell short by six wickets. A game, at home, that the Diamonds will feel disappointed they lost and will want to make amends for that this weekend.
Head-to-Head
There’s been two games between the sides so far this season, one in either format and the points have been shared. In the first Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixture, the Sparks won by seven wickets at New Road, back in April. Then, the Diamonds won the only Charlotte Edwards match the side’s played against each other in, back in a nail-biter at Edgbaston in May.
Player to Watch
Diamonds captain and batter Lauren Winfield-Hill is the player to watch for the Sparks this weekend. She can be extremely explosive with the bat, but also very sensible too.
Winfield-Hill does well at guiding the side round the park in both batting and fielding and will be a player the Sparks will want to see off early if they are to keep the Northern side to a low score.
The competition has so far seen the Diamonds skipper score many runs, and she went (116*) against the Stars back on the 2nd July. Following that, she made (56) & (33) against The Blaze and Thunder respectively.
Ticketing information
The game will be held at Headingley Stadium and is a 10:30am start, with tickets for the match available through Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s website.