Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy team of the week: Who joins Katie Levick in our XI?

The Cricketer picks out the standout performers from the first round of the 2023 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy...

Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds)

Winfield-Hill's 75 off 79 helped Northern Diamonds make the perfect start to their title defence. While her top-order colleagues struggled to make an impact, Winfield-Hill stuck around for 108 minutes, dominating the scoring in the first 10 overs before taking on an anchoring role during an explosive 109-run partnership with Bess Heath. She later completed two stumpings with the gloves.

Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze)

England's Tammy Beaumont laid the groundwork for The Blaze to kick off their new era with a comfortable 59-run win over Central Sparks. She scored a typically assured half-century, contributing 60 runs off 77 deliveries (10 fours), and stood firm at the top of the order during her side's collapse from 72 for 1 to 86 for 4.

Grace Scrivens (Sunrisers)

At the 21st attempt, Sunrisers won a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match and of course, talismanic allrounder Scrivens played a major role. She was involved in the early runout of Lissy MacLeod but paid her side back with a brisk 67 (80) and a 93-run stand with fellow youngster Jodi Grewcock. With the ball, she returned figures of 0 for 20 from five controlled overs, including conceding just one boundary.

^{Paige Scholfield [George Franks/@ggf_photos]}

Mady Villers (Sunrisers)

Explosive with the bat and dangerous with the ball, Mady Villiers delivered an all-round masterclass during Sunrisers' victory over Southern Vipers. She blasted 70 runs off 52 balls, building on the platform laid by Scrivens and Grewcock, before taking 3 for 52 with her right-arm off-spin.

Alice Davidson-Richards (South East Stars)

She may have played second-fiddle to Paige Scholfield, but Davidson-Richards' expertly paced innings was still of vital importance in South East Stars' thumping of Thunder. The aggressor in a 143-run fourth-wicket stand with Scholfield, she struck a classy 73 from 58 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes, to dial up the pressure at Emirates Old Trafford.

Paige Scholfield (South East Stars)

Scholfield's maiden List A century helped the Stars post a record-equalling total of 334. A well-crafted knock, she hit three boundaries from her first six deliveries before bursting into life once again in the final five overs, accelerating from a run-a-ball 74 to finished unbeaten on 111 from 90 deliveries (11 fours, five sixes). As if that wasn't enough, she removed Fi Morris with the ball, finishing with figures of 1 for 10, and also took the catch to dismiss Deandra Dottin. Debuts don't get much better.

^{Katie Levick [John Heald/@JohnHealdPhotog]}

Bess Heath (Northern Diamonds)

Heath's showing against Western Storm was a brutal statement of intent, not just as Diamonds laid down a marker in their title defence but also as a player rallying for an England call-up. Coming in at No.5, she smashed 71 runs off 38 deliveries, including a match-winning stand with Winfield-Hill. Not many people can reduce an England international to a supporting role but Heath truly dominated their 109-run partnership, striking above 185.

Lucy Higham (The Blaze)

A career-best performance from Lucy Higham, who returned figures of 5 for 19 against Central Sparks. Her victims including three of Sparks' top five in Eve Jones, Ami Campbell (both caught and bowled) and Abbey Freeborn as well as dangerous lower-order hitter Emily Arlott. Higham bowled a whopping 48 dot balls, including two maiden overs, and conceded just one boundary.

Katie Levick (Northern Diamonds)

A milestone weekend for Katie Levick, who passed 300 career wickets en route to figures of 4 for 36 against Western Storm. She combined with Winfield-Hill twice to account for Sophie Luff and Nat Wraith (who has the honour of being wicket No.300) and trapped Dani Gibson and Sophia Smale lbw in yet another masterful display of spin bowling.

^{Abtaha Maqsood [Nathan Stirk/Getty Images]}

Grace Potts (Central Sparks)

A standout performer in a losing cause. The 20-year-old pacer picked up exactly where she'd left off in 2022, striking three times in three overs to send Georgie Boyce, Kathryn Bryce and Sarah Bryce packing and trigger a mini-collapse among the home side's batting ranks. She finished with figures of 3 for 46, including bowling 45 dot balls.

Abtaha Maqsood (Sunrisers)

Scotland international Abtaha Maqsood stole the headlines during Sunrisers' victory, returning figures of 5 for 30. She made the crucial breakthrough for her side in the 18th over, removing dangerous opener Maia Bouchier, and also accounted for captain Georgia Adams before ripping through the tail to wrap up a 126-run win.

Those who narrowly missed out: Chloe Tryon, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis, Jodi Grewcock, Maia Bouchier, Kira Chathli