Essex and Lancs Break Through with First T20 Wins in Women’s Blast

Winfield-Hill stars for Essex while Potts powers Lancashire Thunder to victory

After a stuttering start to their Women’s T20 Blast campaigns, both Essex and Lancashire Thunder finally hit their stride over the weekend, chalking up their first victories of the season with confidence and control. With strong all-round performances, both sides sent out a clear message that they won’t be easy to push aside in the coming rounds.

At Chelmsford, Essex produced a dominant display with the bat and ball to dispatch Somerset, while up north in Chester-le-Street, Lancashire Thunder bounced back from an opening-day defeat to outclass Durham in a clinical team performance.

Essex Women Get the Job Done at Chelmsford

Essex had looked tentative in their season opener but came out swinging on home turf against Somerset, racking up 149-5 in their 20 overs thanks to a fluent innings from wicketkeeper-batter Lauren Winfield-Hill. The experienced right-hander looked in sparkling touch, smashing 42 off just 25 balls, timing the ball sweetly through the off-side and rotating the strike with purpose.

Winfield-Hill’s contribution laid the foundation for Essex’s total, and though Grace Scrivens fell early—bowled first ball by Somerset seamer Ellie Anderson—there was enough firepower in the middle order to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Somerset’s Anderson was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with an impressive 3-19 from her four overs. She bowled with zip and control, troubling the batters with a skiddy length and subtle variations. One of her scalps was Scrivens, and another was Lissy Macleod—thanks to a moment of brilliance in the field.

Olivia Barnes took a breathtaking catch at square leg to remove Macleod, sprinting and diving low to her right in a moment that will feature in highlight reels for weeks to come. Unfortunately, Barnes injured her hand while taking her second catch of the match and had to leave the field, playing no further part in the contest. Her absence would prove costly in the chase.

Somerset’s Chase Falters Under Essex Pressure

Essex and Lancashire claim first wins of season

Somerset’s reply never really got going. The loss of skipper Sophie Luff—clean bowled by a beautiful in-swinger from Eva Gray—was a hammer blow. That left them reeling at 29-4 and struggling to recover. A brief 25-run partnership between Fran Wilson and Alex Griffiths gave the visitors some hope, but it was snuffed out soon after.

Essex’s spin duo, led by leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood, turned the screw in the middle overs. Maqsood’s dismissal of Wilson—caught trying to lift one over the infield—broke Somerset’s resistance, and from there it was a rapid unravelling.

Young seamer Esmae MacGregor then ripped through the tail with a sensational spell of bowling, taking 4-8 to claim her best-ever figures in T20 cricket. Her accuracy and clever changes of pace proved too much for Somerset’s lower order, who had no answer. With Barnes unable to bat due to her earlier injury, Somerset were bowled out for just 84, falling a massive 66 runs short.

It was a complete performance from Essex, who finally clicked with both bat and ball, and they’ll take plenty of confidence from this commanding win as the tournament progresses.

Lancashire Thunder Roar Back in Chester-le-Street

Over in the northeast, Lancashire Thunder put the disappointment of their opening defeat behind them with a gutsy win over Durham. Captain Ellie Threlkeld led from the front, top-scoring with 48 to guide her side to 140-7 in their allotted 20 overs. It was a composed innings full of smart shot selection and quick running between the wickets.

Threlkeld found solid support from Ailsa Lister, who played a crucial hand with a measured unbeaten 42. The two kept the innings steady after a couple of early stumbles, gradually accelerating as they set a competitive target.

Durham, who had looked dangerous in the early stages of their run chase, got off to a flier thanks to Suzie Bates and Katherine Fraser. The pair put on a quickfire 61-run opening stand, striking the ball cleanly and keeping the required rate well in check.

Thunder Strike Back in Dramatic Collapse

But just as Durham appeared to be in the driver’s seat, the wheels came off spectacularly. Lancashire’s bowlers, led by a fiery Grace Potts, ripped through the batting order in the second half of the innings, claiming nine wickets for just 61 runs.

Potts, bowling with pace and accuracy, was simply too good for the middle and lower order, taking 4-33 to break the back of Durham’s chase. Spinners Sophie Morris (2-22), Sophie Ecclestone (2-24), and Grace Johnson (2-25) all chipped in with vital breakthroughs, applying pressure and picking up wickets at key moments.

Durham’s promising start quickly turned into a collapse, and they could only watch as the required rate crept up and wickets tumbled. None of the middle-order batters managed to stay at the crease long enough to mount a serious challenge, and in the end, they fell 18 runs short.

A Turning Point for Essex and Lancashire?

Both Essex and Lancashire Thunder will feel they’ve turned a corner with these results. Essex’s comprehensive win highlighted their depth and bowling firepower, while Lancashire’s ability to recover after a flying start from the opposition showcased their resilience and unity.

It’s early days in the Women’s T20 Blast, but these wins could prove pivotal. Confidence is currency in this format, and both sides will now carry momentum into their next fixtures.

As Essex prepare to build on their dominant home showing and Thunder look to solidify their campaign on the road, fans can expect more fireworks and hard-fought encounters in what’s already shaping up to be a tightly contested tournament.