Northern Superchargers: Women's Hundred player retention analysis

ELIZABETH BOTCHERBY takes a look at the Superchargers' player recruitment and suggests what more needs to be done before the start of the new season

Who has been retained?

Despite winning just three matches in 2021, Northern Superchargers have retained pretty much their entire squad. 

Overseas duo Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt are the big-name retentions while Alyssa Healy, who withdrew from last year’s tournament, is set to make her debut in 2022.

Former England internationals Linsey Smith, Alice Davidson-Richards and Beth Langston have also kept their contracts alongside Northern Diamonds trio Katie Levick, Bess Heath and Hollie Armitage. 

Swing bowler Liz Russell and promising South East Stars teenager Kalea Moore complete the squad. 

Who has been released?

Wicketkeeper-batter Lauren Winfield-Hill is the big name absentee from last year’s squad. The England international took the gloves and captained the Superchargers in 2021 but struggled with the bat, scoring just 118 runs. 

Laura Kimmince is also absent, although the Australian was only present as cover for Healy, while Netherlands international Sterre Kalis and Central Sparks batter Ami Campbell, who missed the competition due to Covid-19, have not been retained. Rachel Slater and Phoebe Graham, who filled in for Campbell, also missed out. 

^{Laura Woolvaardt, the South African batter, returns for Northern Superchargers}

Which areas are well covered?

Despite losing a plethora of batters in Kimmince, Winfield-Hill, Kalis and Campbell and adding only Alyssa Healy to the mix, Northern Superchargers continue to have impressive batting depth.

Jemimah Rodrigues was a sensation in 2021, smashing 249 runs at a strike rate of 150.90, and while her talents will no longer be a surprise, she remains a firecracker. Install the highly experienced Healy as her opening partner and follow them with Wolvaardt, who scored 181 runs of her own in 2021, and free-scoring youngster Bess Heath and you have a pretty impressive top-four. 

And then there’s Armitage and Davidson-Richards still to come while the likes of Moore, who sometimes opens the batting for Stars in List A cricket, and Langston not untalented with the bat.

Their bowling unit also has strong foundations, headed up by spinners Smith and Levick and seamers Davidson-Richards and Langston. Smith, Levick and Davidson-Richards took 23 of Superchargers’ 30 wickets, with the spin duo also bowling very economically. Injury deprived them of Langston’s services for much of the competition but the right-armer picked up 17 wickets for Northern Diamonds in 2021 and her presence will be a useful boost. 

They even have cover in the wicketkeeping department, with Heath playing apprentice to Healy’s master. 

Which areas lack cover?

Northern Superchargers have solid foundations in all areas and quality littered throughout their squad. And with only one vacancy in the £25,000 category and the other three at £7,500, their shopping options will be limited. 

With that in mind, their focus should be on securing a seam-bowling allrounder a la Marizanne Kapp or Sophie Devine (sadly, both taken) to safeguard against the top-order wobbles which plagued them in 2021 and provide additional quality alongside Davidson-Richards and Langston to ease the wicket-taking burden.

Northern Superchargers: Hollie Armitage, Alice Davidson-Richards, Alyssa Healy, Bess Heath, Beth Langston, Katie Levick, Kalea Moore, Jemimah Rodrigues, Liz Russell, Linsey Smith, Laura Wolvaardt (11)

Overseas players: 3

Spaces to fill: 5

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