The third game of the Women’s T20 Blast 2025 between Hampshire Women and Essex Women promises to be a competitive encounter. This game is set to take place on May 30, 2025, at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, starting 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). Both teams will be eager to make a strong start in the T20 competition following their recent encounters in the One-Day Cup, where Hampshire edged Essex by 17 runs in a high-quality match at the same venue earlier in May.
The T20 game will test both teams’ adaptability to the shorter format, with Hampshire likely to rely on their experienced core and Essex aiming to leverage their young talents and fighting spirit. The Rose Bowl’s batting-friendly conditions should encourage aggressive play, making this a potentially high-scoring and exciting encounter in the early stages of the tournament.
Squads:
Hampshire Women’s Cricket Team
Abigale Norgrove, Daisy Mullan, Ella McCaughan, Georgia Adams, Maia Bouchier, Poppy Tulloch, Ava Lee, Charli Knott, Ellyse Perry, Freya Kemp, Mary Taylor, Naomi Dattani, Rhianna Southby, Bex Tyson, Daisy Gibb, Freya Davies, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Megan Sturge, Nancy Harman, Rebecca Tyson
Essex Women’s Cricket Team
Alice Macleod, Cordelia Griffith, Florence Miller, Joanne Gardner, Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones, Eva Gray, Grace Scrivens, Jodi Grewcock, Amara Carr, Ariana Dowse, Abtaha Maqsood, Esmae MacGregor, Kate Coppack, Kelly Castle, Sophia Smale, Sophie Munro
Players to watch out:
Georgia Adams
The 31-year-old top-order batter is known for her consistency and leadership in domestic cricket. In the Hundred Women’s Competition, she has played 35 matches, scoring 444 runs at an average of 17.76 with a strike rate of 113.84, including one half-century and the highest score of 50*. With the ball, she has picked up 30 wickets from 25 outings in the Hundred. She can be tested to replicate this success in the Blast.
Maia Bouchier
The 26-year-old opening-batter is known for her aggressive stroke play in T20 cricket. In 44 WT20Is, she has amassed 722 runs at an average of 23.29 with a strike rate of 122.16, including three half-centuries and a top score of 91. In domestic T20 competitions like The Hundred and the Women’s Big Bash League, Bouchier has been consistent, scoring 564 runs in 34 matches for Southern Brave at a strike rate of 131.46, and 401 runs in 26 matches for Melbourne Stars at a strike rate of 104.69.
Sophia Smale
The 20-year-old bowling all-rounder is highly regarded in the domestic circuit and has impressed across domestic competitions, including The Hundred, where she has picked up 22 wickets from 23 innings, at an economy rate of 6.58. She will be a key prospect for this team going forward.
Grace Scrivens
The 21-year-old batting all-rounder is a highly promising talent and in The Hundred has impressed with 252 runs from 16 outings, including the highest of 55, striking at 102.43. Fresh off a successful One Day campaign with the Essex, where she notched up consecutive centuries, the team will count on her to continue in this form.
Pitch:
The Southampton pitch is generally batting-friendly with good bounce and carry. It offers some early assistance to seamers but becomes easier for batting as the game progresses. Spinners can get some turn, making it a balanced surface that often favors teams chasing.
Weather:
The conditions in Southampton are forecasted to be pleasant for cricket, with mild temperatures, mostly cloudy skies and light to moderate south-southwest winds. No significant rain is forecasted, promising a complete game.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Eva Gray, Grace Scrivens, Jodi Grewcock, Abtaha Maqsood, Sophia Smale, Georgia Adams, Maia Bouchier, Ellyse Perry, Rhianna Southby, Bex Tyson, Alice MacLeod
Match details:
Date – May 30, 2025
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – The Rose Bowl, Southampton
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
