Charlotte Edwards Cup Essentials: Lightning v South East Stars

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

Fixture: Lightning v South East Stars

Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021

Start time: 11am

What's the lowdown?

Two sides neck and neck four games into the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, with nine points and two wins each, separated only by net run rate.

Lightning have found the going tough with the bat since Tammy Beaumont disappeared for England duty; no other player in their squad has scored more than 100 runs this season, with the Bryce sisters not yet showing the same remarkable form as last year.

Instead, it has been the team's bowling that has kept them in regular contention, with Kirstie Gordon and Teresa Graves taking nine wickets each thus far. If they can transfer their 50-over form into the T20 game, Lightning will be well placed.

South East Stars, meanwhile, have been roundly impressive despite their middling league position: Alice Davidson-Richards and Bryony Smith have both struck more than 150 runs in their four Heyhoe Flint Trophy innings, while Sophia Dunkley impressed sufficiently to earn an England contract and Test debut.

With the ball, Smith has added seven wickets with her off-spin, while captain Tash Farrant has taken nine.

The game forms the first part of a double-header, with Nottinghamshire facing Lancashire at 3pm afterwards.

Who should I watch out for?

Bryony Smith feels like an obvious answer, given her position on the periphery of England consideration. She has impressed with bat and ball so far this season, hitting the ball powerfully and developing her bowling nicely in the process.

For Lightning, Kirstie Gordon will feel as though she has something to prove, having lost her central contract earlier this month.

What's the team news?

Lightning batter Tammy Beaumont is away with England.

South East Stars will be without Sophia Dunkley, Freya Davies and Tash Farrant.

Latest Lightning news: Click here

Latest South East Stars news: Click here

What's the weather forecast?

Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Trent Bridge: Click here

How do I follow the match?

TV/stream: The Loughborough Sport YouTube channel will carry a stream. 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?

Tickets for the double-header are sold out.

Travel

Address: Trent Bridge, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 6AG

By car: From the south, exit the M1 on Junction 24 (A453) or Junction 25 (A52) and take the signs for West Bridgford or the cricket ground. From the north, take Junction 26 (A610) and follow the signs to West Bridgford or the cricket ground.

There are plenty of parking options around the Lace Market and the Ice Arena in the town centre. There are three car parks surrounding the ground, and two further down the Bridgford Road into West Bridgford itself.

By public transport: Nottingham station is well linked by East Midlands Trains, Cross Country and Northern. There are regular buses from the station to Trent Bridge, and a taxi rank on the northern side of the station, but it is only a 20-minute walk via the A60 - passing the nation's only Hooters - or better still along a saunter the Nottingham Canal up to the Trent Bridge itself – past Meadow Lane (Notts County), the City Ground (Nottingham Forest) and plenty of pubs.

Prediction?

A close call here but we're backing South East Stars to prevail thanks to the form of their top order.

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