Charlotte Edwards Cup Essentials: Sunrisers v Thunder

Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, weather forecast and everything else you need to know ahead of the next round of the Charlotte Edwards Cup

The Cricketer | 27/08/2021 at 19:23

Fixture: Sunrisers v Thunder

Venue: County Ground, Northampton

Date: Saturday, August 28, 2021

Start time: 2.30pm

What's the lowdown?

Both of these sides head into this match off the back of defeats. For the first 10 overs of their match against Northern Diamonds, Sunrisers were electric, reducing their opponents to 32 for 5. However, they had little answer to the batting of Beth Langston and Linsey Smith, with Diamonds eventually finishing their innings on 120 for 6. With the bat, they never looked like reaching 121, losing both openers in the opening two overs and seeing only one player - Jo Gardner - pass 20 runs.

Sunrisers sit third in the Group B table, with one win and three defeats from their four matches.

Thunder, meanwhile, had their own struggles with the bat, losing five wickets in under six overs to collapse from 32 for 0 to 56 for 5. They eventually limped to 100 for 9 but couldn't defend their total, slipping to a seven-wicket defeat with 14 balls remaining. Alex Hartley's side are second in Group B, three points behind leaders Northern Diamonds with two matches remaining.

In the reverse fixture at Emirates Old Trafford, Emma Lamb scored 111 not out off 61 balls as Thunder posted 186 for 1. Sunrisers were dismissed for 115 in reply, resulting in a 71-run bonus point victory for Thunder.

Who should I watch out for?

Emma Lamb was one of only two players to reach double figures with the bat for Thunder against Western Storm, the other being 'keeper Ellie Threlkeld. Lamb scored 28 from 20 balls, including three fours, taking her to 218 runs for the season. Only Georgia Adams (29) can better her tally of 24 fours while she has also hit three maximums.

For Sunrisers, Kate Coppack was devastatingly effective against Diamonds, dismissing Beth Heath and Jenny Gunn on her way to figures of 2 for 10 from four overs. Bowling her full allowance between overs one and eight, the medium-pacer bowled 17 dot balls - 13 of which were in the powerplay - and was hit for just one boundary. Sunrisers' only mistake was perhaps bowling her allocation in one go.

With the bat, Katherine Speed has the ability to inject some lower order firepower. Batting at eight against Diamonds, she struck 17 off 14 balls and put on a 22-run (20 ball) partnership with Gayatri Gole to suggest Sunrisers do have batting depth.

What's the team news?

Trevor Griffin has named the following 13-strong squad.

Sunrisers squad: Kelly Castle, Kate Coppack, Naomi Dattani, Jo Garedner, Gaya Gole, Cordelia Griffith, Katie Midwood, Flo Miller, Mia Rogers, Grace Scrivens, Sonali Patel, Katherine Speed, Emily Thorpe

Sophie Ecclestone is once again unavailable for Thunder after being named in England's white-ball squad to face New Zealand. Thunder will select an XI from the following 17 players.

Thunder squad: Alex Hartley (c), Ellie Threlkeld, Georgie Boyce, Emma Lamb, Hannah Jones, Kate Cross, Piepa Cleary, Nat Brown, Laura Marshall, Alice Dyson, Alice Clarke, Laura Jackson, Rebecca Duckworth, Sophia Turner, Daisy Mullan, Liberty Heap, Danielle Collins

Latest Sunrisers news: Click here

Latest Thunder news: Click here

How do I follow the match?

TV/stream: A live stream will be available via the Northamptonshire website. Click here

Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry updates of the game.

Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and reports from every Women's Regional Competition match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our Women's Regional Hub for more.

Going to the game?

What’s the weather forecast?

Sunny intervals with cloud later on and temperatures peaking at 20 degrees Celsius.

Keep up to date with the MetOffice's rolling forecast for Northampton here.

Tickets

Tickets are available for this fixture with general admission costing just £2.

Click here to visit the Northamptonshire ticket office.

Travel

Address: The County Ground, Abington Ave, Northampton NN1 4PR

By car: Take Junction 15 from the M1 Motorway onto the A508 (A45) towards Northampton.

Follow the dual carriageway for approximately 3 miles passing the Hilton Hotel, Marriott Hotel and Delapre Golf course on your left-hand side.

Keeping in the left-hand lane, take the next exit from the dual carriageway marked A428 Bedford and Town Centre.

Move into the middle lane as you approach the roundabout at the bottom of the slip road.

Take the second exit following signs for Abington / Kingsthorpe onto the Rushmere Road. Follow the Rushmere Road (A5095) across the junction with Billing Road and continue straight on through Abington Park to the traffic lights at the main junction with Wellingborough Road.

On foot

ENTRANCE VIA ABINGTON AVENUE

Cross the lights at the junction with the Wellingborough Road keeping in the left-hand lane.

Turn left at the traffic light filter into Abington Avenue.

The cricket ground entrance is approximately 300 yards along Abington Avenue on the left-hand side.

ENTRANCE VIA WANTAGE ROAD

Turn left at the traffic lights with the Wellingborough Road onto the Wellingborough Road itself.

Take the first right approximately 100 yards along into Wantage Road.

The entrance is approximately 500 yards along the Wantage Road on the right-hand side.

By bus: Buses are available from Northampton Bus Station every 10 minutes. The best services are either 1 or 16 – both head towards Weston Favell.

The bus stop is located by the Abington Public House, 30 seconds from the Wantage Road gates. The bus journey takes roughly seven minutes.

By train: Northampton Station sits on the halfway point of the London to Birmingham Line and enjoys frequent and speedy services to both cities.

Northampton Train Station is approximately a 30–40 minute walk from the County Ground.

Alternatively, there is a taxi rank outside the train station, the ground and is a five-minute drive.

Prediction?

Almost too close to call. Thunder were dominant in their previous encounter but Sunrisers nearly pulled off a shock against Northern Diamonds and have beaten Western Storm, who did the double over Thunder, in 2021. Home win, but a very close game.