The Blaze Women
Wikipedia - The Blaze (women's cricket)
The Blaze, previously known as Lightning, are a women's cricket team that represent the East Midlands region, one of eight regional hubs in English domestic women's cricket. They play their home matches at various grounds, including Trent Bridge and Grace Road. They are captained by Kirstie Gordon and coached by Chris Guest. The team carries over many elements of the WCSL team Loughborough Lightning. They are partnered with Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.
The Blaze won their first title in 2024, winning the Charlotte Edwards Cup after defeating South East Stars in the final.
History
In 2020, women's cricket in England was restructured, creating eight new 'regional hub' teams, with the intention of playing both 50-over and 20-over cricket. The team, then known as Lightning, were one of the sides created under this structure, effectively replacing the Women's Cricket Super League team Loughborough Lightning and representing the East Midlands, partnering with Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, as well as Loughborough University. The side was to be captained by Kathryn Bryce and coached by Rob Taylor. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was truncated, and only 50-over cricket was played, in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Lightning finished bottom of the North Group in the competition, winning two of their six matches. At the end of the season, five Lightning players were given full-time domestic contracts, the first of their kind in England: Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Bethan Ellis, Lucy Higham and Abigail Freeborn.
The following season, 2021, Lightning competed in both the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the newly-formed Twenty20 competition, the Charlotte Edwards Cup. In the Charlotte Edwards Cup the side finished bottom of their group, losing all six of their matches. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Lightning finished fourth in the group of eight, winning three of their seven matches. In the final match of the season, Lightning scored 320/6 in their victory over Central Sparks, with the Bryce sisters, Kathryn and Sarah, sharing a 207-run partnership, the highest across the competition. Lightning bowler Kirstie Gordon was the leading wicket-taker in the competition, with 16 wickets. Rob Taylor left his role as Head Coach at the end of the season, and was later replaced by Chris Guest.
Lightning again finished bottom of their group in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2022, but did win their first Twenty20 match, beating North West Thunder by 5 wickets. In September 2022, it was announced that Nottinghamshire CCC would become the new host of the team, replacing Loughborough University, and it was also announced that the name of the team would change. The side finished sixth out of eight in the 2022 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
In November 2022, it was announced that the team had been renamed The Blaze. Kirstie Gordon was named as the side's new captain in April 2023. The side went unbeaten through the group stage of the Charlotte Edwards Cup, but lost in the final to Southern Vipers. They also qualified for the knockout stages in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, finishing second in the group, before defeating South East Stars in the play-off. However, they again lost to Southern Vipers in the final.
In 2024, The Blaze won their first title, winning the Charlotte Edwards Cup. They finished top of the group stage after winning nine of their ten matches, before defeating Central Sparks in the semi-final and South East Stars in the final. The Blaze batter Kathryn Bryce was the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 478 runs, whilst The Blaze bowler Kirstie Gordon was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 22 wickets. The side finished fifth in the group stage of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
At the end of the 2024 season, reforms to the structure of domestic cricket meant that regional sides would be replaced by county teams. However, in September 2024 it was confirmed that the Nottinghamshire-based side would retain the name and branding of The Blaze.
The Blaze Women are known for their aggressive batting, solid bowling, and exceptional fielding skills. Led by experienced captains and coaches, they have a strong team spirit and a winning mentality that sets them apart from their competitors.
With a rich history of success in international competitions, The Blaze Women are a force to be reckoned with in the world of women's cricket. They have a loyal fan base that supports them through thick and thin, and they continue to inspire young girls and women to pursue their dreams in the sport.
Whether they are playing in front of a home crowd or on the international stage, The Blaze Women always give their all and leave everything on the field. They are true ambassadors for the sport of cricket and continue to make their mark on the world stage with their exceptional talent and passion for the game.