BEN STEVENS picks out the standout names to keep an eye on during the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup campaigns this year
It is a time of tremendous positive change in the women’s game.
As the ECB continues to increase the professionalism of the sport, so it has begun to reach more people and inspire more to take it up.
And the quality of players coming through the system is improving, too.
So, as the new regional season gets under way, who are the young players to watch in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2022?
BEN STEVENS picks out the standout names…
Allrounder, Sunrisers
A powerful left-handed opening batter, a wicket-taking off-spinner and a natural captain, Grace Scrivens is the rising star of the women's game right now.
After winning the ICC Women's Moment of the Year 2021, aged 17, for an unbeaten 94 (in 62 balls) against Kent, Scrivens' development has been relentless.
Her 297 runs at 49.50 in last summer's Heyhoe Flint Trophy Trophy included four half-centuries, and saw her finish third in the run-scoring charts. She also picked up 13 wickets at 14.69, the most in the competition.
Playing six games for London Spirit in The Hundred further decorated an already stacked CV.
At this winter’s Under-19 T20 World Cup, Scrivens hit three fifties, including a brutal 93 from 56 deliveries against Ireland, earning her a place in the Team of the Tournament and the ICC Women's Player of the Month award for January.
Scrivens and her Sunrisers start their RHF campaign against Southern Vipers at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday (April 22).
Leg-spinner, Central Sparks
English cricket and leg-spinners do not have a fruitful history, but Hannah Baker is aiming to buck that trend.
After four games with Birmingham Phoenix in the 2022 Hundred, Baker will be targeting a regular spot in the Welsh Fire attack this time around.
And in the regional game, she could be prolific.
Five matches and five wickets at 39 with an economy of 5.46 represented a good return for Central Sparks in the 2022 Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Baker joined her teammate Scrivens in the T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament, with 12 wickets, three of which came in the semi-final against Australia on her way to figures of 3 for 10 from four overs.
Baker begins her 50-over season for Central Sparks against The Blaze at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
Bess Heat of Northern Diamonds [Getty Images]
Left-arm spinner, Western Storm
Continuing the trend of English teenagers with plenty of senior experience, Sophia Smale's 2022 saw her win The Hundred with Oval Invincibles, as she claimed eight wickets in seven matches.
In a January interview, Smale revealed that her cricketing idols are Ellyse Perry and Sophie Ecclestone. In Ecclestone, she has a perfect role model from whom to learn the art of left-arm spin.
But the Newport-born youngster is doing pretty well on her own, and returned 10 wickets in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.
She's handy with the bat too, as shown with her 59 from 71 balls against Northern Diamonds last September.
It is testament to the growing strength of the women's game in England that it may already have produced its next Ecclestone.
Smale returns to face the Northern Diamonds in her opening fixture for Western Storm on Saturday at Headingley.
Central Sparks leg-spinner Hannah Baker [Getty Images]
Wicketkeeper, Thunder
An 18-year old England cricketer born in Wales and called Smale…but in no way related to Sophia. What's even better is that the two have known each other since playing childhood tennis tournaments and even pretended to be sisters.
Unlike Sophia, Wrexham-born Seren is yet to experience The Hundred, but has already shown her potential as an opening bat, scoring 57 against Western Storm last campaign.
At January's World Cup she returned three 30-plus scores in seven innings, remaining unbeaten three times despite being shuffled around the order, a valuable trait for keeper-batters to have.
There was also a stumping against Ireland to give a glimpse of what's to come from her glovework.
Buoyed by signing her first professional contract with Thunder in February, this season could be a transformative one for Seren Smale.
She begins at Emirates Old Trafford against South East Stars on Saturday.
Sophia Smale of Western Storm [Getty Images]
Wicketkeeper, Northern Diamonds
At 21, Bess Heath is the most senior member of this list. Having played 125 senior matches since her county debut in 2014 for Derbyshire, she recently joined up with Melbourne Stars in the WBBL, scoring 128 runs at 21.33.
Heath enjoyed a stellar 2022 with the Northern Diamonds, scoring 241 runs in seven matches at 40.16.
Of those, 168 came in her final three games of the competition: 70 against Western Storm, 54 against Southern Vipers before a composed 44 under pressure in the final as her side claimed a two-run victory at Lord’s.
Despite these successes, Heath is yet to receive an England callup.
Nonetheless, if she carries her 2022 form into 2023, she will give the selectors something to think about.
Her Northern Diamonds host Western Storm on Saturday.
Posted by Hugh on 24/04/2023 at 08:41
Cannot argue with that selection of five.! Have not seen why Seren Smale and Liberty Heap both missed the opener for Thunder.? Interesting first round of matches with a number of the fringe and upcoming England players having better starts than some of the centrally-contracted. I would really love to see Grace Scrivens open with Tammy Beaumont in the ODIs and maybe even the Test; the team needs some LH batting.
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