Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy team of the week: Who makes our combined round one and two XI?

The Cricketer looks at the star performers from the opening weekend of Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy action…

Emma Lamb (North West Thunder)

121 v Western Storm

Storm’s Anya Shrubsole may have stolen the headlines, but the first innings were all about Emma Lamb. Continuing her good form from the Women’s T20 County Championship (233 runs in four appearances), Lamb recorded the first century of the 2021 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in epic style: 121 runs from 105 balls, 12 fours, one six, and a strike rate of 115.23. Last spring, she was a member of the national side’s 24-strong training squad in 2020, without playing a match. With form like this, she could force her way into the XI against India or New Zealand this summer.

Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds)

110 v Central Sparks

Lauren Winfield-Hill’s performance against Sparks was the epitome of maturity. The 2017 World Cup winner battened down the hatches during Issy Wong and Em Arlott’s powerplay pace onslaught before spotting her chance and scoring with gusto against Liz Russell, Eve Jones, Steph Butler, and Ria Fackrell. Her century had a touch of fortune (she was dropped on 96) but the back-to-back sixes which pushed her to 100 and beyond were sumptuous. Her performance was overshadowed by the manner of Diamonds’ defeat but it was a knock which will have pleased England captain Heather Knight.

Sophia Dunkley (South East Stars)

104 not out v Sunrisers

Sophia Dunkley did her hopes of adding an ODI cap to her 15 T20I appearances the world of good against Sunrisers in round one. Playing in front of England head coach, Lisa Keightley, in Chelmsford, the 22-year-old scored an unbeaten 104 from 93 deliveries, including 13 fours, to lead her side to a record total of 324 for 7. Come the end of the summer, that performance may have earned her something even better than Keightley’s applause.

🤩 Don't mind us, just dreaming of this innings...

163* (114) from Amy Jones - what a knock!#SparksWillFly pic.twitter.com/fJcE8YmmY7

— Central Sparks (@CentralSparks) June 1, 2021

Heather Knight (Western Storm)

91 v Thunder and 59 v Central Sparks

Heather Knight loves the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Last season, she made two appearances for Western Storm, scoring two half-centuries on her way to 158 runs. Two matches into the 2021 season, she has 150 runs and two further 50+ knocks. Her first (a 90-ball 91) laid the foundations for Storm’s successful chase against Thunder; her second (59 runs from 51 deliveries) formed part of a 102-run first-wicket stand with Lauren Parfitt – a fine display of top-order stability but one which was ultimately struck in vain. A solid start for the England skipper.

Amy Jones (Central Sparks)

114 v Northern Diamonds and 163 v Western Storm

What else is there to say about Amy Jones other than wow? Against Diamonds, she made a bowling attack including Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver, Katie Levick and Beth Langston look bang average. Against Storm, she was unstoppable: 163 runs from 114 balls, 17 fours, six sixes, and a strike rate of 142.98. Spare a thought for the Southern Vipers bowlers who have to face her in round three.  

Danni Wyatt (Southern Vipers)

53 v Lightning and 64 not out v South East Stars

Danni Wyatt didn’t have the greatest time during England’s recent ODI series against New Zealand, scoring just 18 runs in three matches. However, she put that behind her in the first two rounds of domestic cricket with twin half-centuries in Vipers orange. Her second, against South East Stars, will have been particularly good for her confidence, with nine fours struck in her unbeaten 64. Two much-needed performances for the England international.

Sarah Glenn (Central Sparks)

71 not out & 1-35 v Northern Diamonds

There aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to describe Sarah Glenn’s performance at Headingley. With the ball, she was miserly, picking up the important wicket of Sterre Kalis and conceding just 35 runs from her 10 overs of spin. With the bat, she was mesmerising. The 21-year-old hit six sixess, including one to win the match, on her way to an unbeaten 71 (52 balls) and shared an 84-run tenth-wicket stand with Em Arlott to chase down a seemingly unreachable 280 with 10 balls to spare. What a way to put forward your credentials as a bona fide allrounder.  

Kate Cross (North West Thunder)

3-35 v Western Storm and 43 & 3-49 v Sunrisers

A great start to the season with bat and ball for Kate Cross. Against Storm, she dismissed three of their top five and was the only Thunder bowler not to taste the wrath of Shrubsole. She added a further three wickets to her collection in Chester but it was with the bat where she made her most telling contribution, smashing a brisk 43 (47 balls) to finish the innings as Thunder’s second-highest scorer.  

Issy Wong (Central Sparks)

5-49 v Northern Diamonds

After taking a hat-trick against Thunder in Chester, Sunrisers bowler Sonali Patel can consider herself mighty unlucky not to be included in this XI. However, Issy Wong’s maiden five-for (also the first of the 2021 season) trumps her on this occasion. The teenager’s first seven overs were stongy, yielding the wicket of Hollie Armitage and just 24 runs. Her final three overs were clinical, recovering from a three-ball pounding from Katherine Brunt to collect four wickets in 15 balls. Not a bad start to the season!

5️⃣ wickets for @wongi95! 🙌

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥#SparksWillFly #RHFtrophy pic.twitter.com/UNdMzTG4Fq

— Central Sparks (@CentralSparks) May 29, 2021

Tash Farrant (South East Stars)

5-33 v Sunrisers

Tash Farrant took no prisoners in Stars’ season opener. By the fifth ball of the 11th over, she had four wickets, removing Cordelia Griffith, Amara Carr, Alice MacLeod and Fran Wilson to leave Sunrisers teetering on 44 for 4. She bowled Gayatri Gole in the 39th over to pick up third career List A five-for and also took the catch to dismiss Grace Scrivens. A true captain’s performance.

Charlotte Taylor (Southern Vipers)

4-21 v South East Stars

Taylor had a quiet match against Lightning, picking up a fine, if understated, 1 for 30. However, against Stars she put in a performance reminiscent of the one which made everyone sit up and take notice in last season’s final. Ripping through Stars’ top order, she reduced the home side to 24 for 3 before picking up Farrant for her fourth in the 37th over. She finished with figures of 4 for 21, bowling two maidens and being struck for just two boundaries. A worrying sign for the rest of the competition.