The Blaze Women's 2026 T20 Blast Cricket Draft Preview
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Overview
The Blaze finished second in the table last summer with eight wins, two defeats, a tie, and three no-results. They were 10 points behind league winners Surrey and six points ahead of third-place Warwickshire, whom The Blaze eventually lost to on Finals Day. Georgia Elwiss led the way with the bat, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 412 runs, including five half-centuries and a top score of 61. Four bowlers reached double figures, including Scottish duo Kathryn Bryce and Kirstie Gordon, who topped the charts for The Blaze with 17 wickets each.
They have started this summer in fine fashion, sitting at the top of the One Day Cup table with five wins and one defeat in their opening six matches. They will be challenging toward the top of the table again and aiming to go a step further than last year.
Banker / Wildcard / Young Gun / England Pick
Banker: Kathryn Bryce (ALR)
The Scotland skipper will be eager to have a strong tournament before heading to the World Cup. It is worth keeping an eye on her availability, as Scotland faces Bangladesh and the Netherlands at the end of this month. Bryce has high match involvement, regularly taking the new ball and batting in the top three. She took 17 wickets and scored 370 runs last season.
Wildcard: Lucy Higham (ALR)
The Blaze have an array of attractive all-rounders, but with Lucy Higham being the cheapest of their potential regular starters, she could be an attractive wildcard option. She only featured three times in 2025 but has played all six games so far this summer. Higham has bowled the fifth-most overs for the side, collecting six wickets, and is more than capable of chipping in with the bat.
Young Gun: Charley Phillips (BWL)
Phillips only played twice last season but has been a regular this year in the One Day Cup and is currently the team's leading wicket-taker. She has taken 12 wickets at an average of 14.83, including a five-wicket haul. With several international call-ups on the horizon, she could have a key part to play and is excellent value at just £5.6m.
England Watch: Nat Sciver-Brunt (ALR)
The England star will have a massive role in the team whenever she is available. Batting up the order and acting as a frontline bowler makes her an essential fantasy signing. However, availability remains the key factor, as she only featured once last season.
Potential Strongest Starting XI
No | Player | Role |
1 | Tammy Beaumont | BAT |
2 | Marie Kelly | BAT |
3 | Nat Sciver-Brunt | ALR |
4 | Kathryn Bryce | ALR |
5 | Sarah Bryce | WKT |
6 | Amy Jones | WKT |
7 | Charli Knott | ALR |
8 | Georgia Elwiss | ALR |
9 | Lucy Higham | ALR |
10 | Kirstie Gordon | BWL |
11 | Grace Ballinger | BWL |
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