2023 CEC Preview: Southern Vipers v Western Storm
THE MATCH
Western Storm take on Southern Vipers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at the Ageas Bowl tomorrow (Friday May 26th).
This T20 match will get underway at 3pm.
Tickets for this match are still available.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
You can keep up to date with the match via the Western Storm website.
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
HEAD TO HEAD
The two sides have met on nine occaisons in T20 cricket. Western Storm have won six of the matches, Southern Vipers have come out on top twice and there was one no result.
The highest T20 score for Storm in this fixture is 174 for four at Hove in the 2019 KSL final, whilst for Vipers it is 172 for seven in the same game.
The highest individual score for Storm is 78 not out by Heather Knight in the KSL Final in 2019 and by Stafanie Taylor at the Cooper Associates County Ground in 2016. For Vipers it is 73 by Danielle Wyatt in the 2019 KSL final.
The best bowling performance for Storm is four for 18 by Freya Davies at Bristol in 2019, whilst for Vipers it is three for 23 by Tash Farrant at the Ageas Bowl in 2019.
TEAM NEWS
A starting XI will be named from the following players: Sophie Luff (c), Danielle Gibson, Orla Prendergast, Heather Knight, Emma Corney, Fran Wilson, Claire Nicholas, Nat Wraith, Alex Griffiths, Nicole Harvey, Lauren Filer, Mollie Robbins, Chloe Skelton, Sophia Smale, Niamh Holland, Izzy Patel, Katie Jones, Isla Thomson, and Rebecca Odgers.
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Ahead of the match, Western Storm Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “I was really pleased with how we went about things on Sunday against Thunder. There was great energy, it was a great game of cricket and hopefully we can build on that.
“The girls are really looking forward to getting back out there and we’ve had two really good days of training this week.
“There’s a lot of history between Storm and Vipers. They have certainly kicked on since the KSL days and we know that they will be tough opposition.”
THE OPPOSITION
SOUTHERN VIPERS
Captain: Georgia Adams
Overseas player: Nicole Faltum (Australia)
2022 finish: Winners
2022 leading runscorer: Danni Wyatt (221)
2022 leading wicket taker: Charlie Dean (12)
Key winter moves: Out have gone key players Paige Scholfield, Tara Norris and the retired Carla Rudd but Linsey Smith adds high-quality with her left-arm spin and Rhianna Southby has already shown off her quick hands behind the stumps in the RHFT – they’ve arrived from Diamonds and South East Star respectively. Melbourne Stars’ Nicole Faltum provides decent cover.
The big question: Can the Vipers repeat their 2022 form? Last year they were flawless in the Charlotte Edwards Cup – seven games, seven wins – but heavy defeats to Sunrisers and Central Sparks early on in this year’s RHFT have raised eyebrows. On paper they are still as strong as ever, especially if Wyatt, Dean and Bell fire.
Player to watch: Maia Bouchier. Having been unused in the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, the batter has been reminding England onlookers of her brutal best already this summer – with two fifties already. Probably the best cover driver outside of Laura Wolvaadt in women’s cricket and one of the safest pair of hands in the game.
Final thought: They might have had an uncharacteristically slow start to the summer but as their motto says: ‘Beware the Vipers’. Georgia Elwiss and Emily Windsor – who can’t stop scoring winning runs – are approaching their best after a winter of rehabbing. While youngsters Ella McCaughan and Alice Monaghan are rapidly improving.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you are attending the match please visit the Official Hampshire Website for further matchday information.
NEXT MATCH
Western Storm’s next match is on Sunday when we take on South East Stars in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. This match is a double header and also features Somerset v Glamorgan in the Vitality Blast.
