Durham Women's 2026 T20 Blast Cricket Draft Preview

2 days ago
2 min read

Overview

In last year’s tournament, Durham finished in fifth place out of eight teams. They recorded five wins, seven losses, and two "no results," ending on 25 points—11 points shy of the top three spots required for Finals Day.

The team has also endured a difficult start to this year’s One Day Cup, currently sitting at the bottom of the table with one win, one tie, and four defeats from their opening six matches. While Suzie Bates was the standout performer with the bat in 2025, she will not return as an overseas player this year. Instead, Australian all-rounder Heather Graham joins the side to fill the void.

Last season, Bess Heath, Mady Villiers, and Holly Armitage all surpassed the 200-run mark. On the bowling front, Katie Levick led the wicket-taking charts with 13, while Villiers and Sophia Turner also reached double figures. Durham may face a similar struggle to reach the knockout stages this year, but they will be determined to give a strong account of themselves.

Key Picks: Banker, Wildcard, Young Gun & England Watch

Banker: Mady Villiers (ALR)

Took 11 wickets and scored 260 runs in 2025; she will be a key contributor for Durham again in 2026. She hit a high score of 85* last season and already has a half-century under her belt in the One Day Cup, despite not yet hitting her best form with the bat this summer. Expect her to have high match involvement and consistent point-scoring opportunities for Durham.

Wildcard: Katherine Fraser (ALR)

The Scottish all-rounder will look to chip in with both bat and ball while being valued at a competitive £7.1m. She has been a vital part of Scotland’s recent success and has taken on a new role with the national team opening the batting. She also opened in a T20 warm-up game for Durham this summer, suggesting she could be promoted up the order for an even more significant fantasy role.

Young Gun: Grace Thompson (BWL)

The 18-year-old played nine times last season and has featured in three One Day Cup matches this term. While she only took one wicket in 2025, she will be looking to increase that tally as the T20 campaign gets underway. She is also capable with the bat down the order, evidenced by a top score of 49 made against The Blaze this summer.

England Watch: Lauren Filer (BWL)

Having been named in the England T20 World Cup squad, Filer will be aiming to find peak form in this tournament to lead Durham’s attack before heading off on international duty. She only played three times in 2025 but is a regular in The Hundred and boasts eight T20I wickets to her name.

Potential Strongest Starting XI

No	Player	Role
1	Emma Marlow	ALR
2	Katherine Fraser	ALR
3	Hollie Armitage	BAT
4	Mady Villiers	ALR
5	Heather Graham (OS)	ALR
6	Bess Heath	WKT
7	Emily Windsor	BAT
8	Grace Thompson	BWL
9	Sophia Turner	BWL
10	Lauren Filer	BWL
11	Katie Levick	BWL