Thunder Women
Wikipedia - North West Thunder
North West Thunder, commonly referred to as Thunder, are a women's cricket team that represent Lancashire and North West England, one of eight regional hubs in English domestic women's cricket. They play their home matches at various grounds, including Old Trafford Cricket Ground. They are captained by Eleanor Threlkeld and coached by Chris Read. The team carries over many elements of the WCSL team Lancashire Thunder, but are now partnered with Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria.
History
In 2020, women's cricket in England was restructured, creating eight new 'regional hub' teams, with the intention of playing both 50-over and 20-over cricket. North West Thunder were one of the sides created under this structure, effectively replacing the Women's Cricket Super League team Lancashire Thunder and representing Lancashire and North West England, partnering with Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria. The side was to be captained by Alex Hartley and coached by Paul Shaw. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was truncated, and only 50-over cricket was played, in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. North West Thunder finished third in the North Group of the competition, winning two of their six matches. At the end of the season, five Thunder players were given full-time domestic contracts, the first of their kind in England: Alex Hartley, Georgie Boyce, Emma Lamb, Eleanor Threlkeld and Hannah Jones.
The following season, 2021, North West Thunder competed in both the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the newly-formed Twenty20 competition, the Charlotte Edwards Cup. In the Charlotte Edwards Cup the side finished third in their group, winning two of their six matches, as well as their away match against Sunrisers ending in a tie. Thunder batter Emma Lamb hit the first Charlotte Edwards Cup century in the reverse fixture against Sunrisers, as her side made the highest team score of the tournament, 186/1. In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, the team finished seventh in the group of eight, winning three of their seven matches. North West Thunder bowler Hannah Jones was the joint-second highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with 14 wickets.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Hartley stood down as captain of the side. Eleanor Threlkeld was named as her replacement. The side finished third in their group in the Charlotte Edwards Cup that season, winning two of their six matches. The side finished seventh in the group of eight in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
In 2023, the side qualified for the knockout stages of a tournament for the first time, doing so in the Charlotte Edwards Cup after winning four of their last five matches. However, they lost in the semi-final to Southern Vipers. The side finished seventh in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, winning three matches. Head Coach Paul Shaw stepped down from his role at the end of the season, and was later replaced by Chris Read.
The Thunder Women's team comprises of talented and experienced players from different parts of the world. The team is led by Kate Cross, who is a fast bowler and has represented England in several international matches. Other key players in the team include Alex Hartley, Sophie Ecclestone, and Emma Lamb, who are all-rounders and have contributed significantly to the team's success.
The Thunder Women's team has a strong fan base and is known for its aggressive and competitive style of play. The team has won several matches against top teams in the league and has reached the semi-finals of the Women's Cricket Super League on multiple occasions.
Overall, Thunder Women is a formidable cricket team that has established itself as one of the top teams in the Women's Cricket Super League. With a talented and experienced squad, the team is expected to continue its winning streak in the upcoming seasons.