The 2021 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy gets underway on May 29 – here’s all you need to know about the regional 50-over competition.

What happened last year?

The inaugural edition of the tournament took place last year, with the eight teams divided into a North and South Group. Northern Diamonds topped the North Group with five wins from their six games and met Southern Vipers – unbeaten in their group – in the final.

The Vipers won out in the final at Edgbaston, with Georgia Adams’ knock of 80 followed up by a Charlotte Taylor six-for. Adams finished as the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 500 runs in just seven innings, while Taylor topped the wicket-taking charts with 15 scalps.

What is the format for this year’s tournament?

This year, all eight teams will play each other once in the group stage. The team at the top of the table at the end of the group stage will move to the final, where they will meet the winners of a play-off match between the second- and third-placed sides.

Players to watch out for

Southern Vipers

Georgia Adams: The Vipers captain was the tournament MVP last year and is one of 41 new full-time professionals in the domestic women’s game. Daughter of former England batter Chris Adams, the 27-year-old is building a strong case for international recognition.

South East Stars

Tash Farrant: The left-arm quick lost her England central contract in 2019 but earned an international recall earlier this year after impressing in the last RHF Trophy with nine wickets at 19.66.

Western Storm

Sophie Luff: The 27-year-old was the third-highest run-scorer in last year’s competition, racking up three fifties and a ton in the process.

Lightning

Kathryn Bryce: The Edinburgh-born all-rounder was named the ICC’s associate women’s player of the decade late last year and took 14 RHF Trophy wickets in 2020 at a lowly average of 15.42. Her sister Sarah, a teammate, can play too – she was the second-highest run-scorer in last year’s tournament.

Northern Diamonds

Beth Langston: Right-arm seamer Langston, who last played for England in 2016, was key in helping her side to the final last year, taking 3-18 in a win over Thunder to secure a spot at the showpiece affair at Edgbaston.

Thunder

Alex Hartley: One of the most high-profile players on a domestic contract, the 2017 World Cup-winning left-arm spinner has rediscovered her love of the game after being dropped by England and was her side’s leading wicket-taker last year.

Central Sparks

Issy Wong: A highly-rated quick who toured with England over the winter, Wong has stated her ambition to break the 80mph barrier in women’s cricket.

Sunrisers

Jo Gardner: The off-spinning all-rounder was both the Sunrisers’ leading run-scorer and joint-leading wicket-taker last year.

Live streaming for 2021 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy

Fixtures will be live streamed by the teams and on the ECB match centre.

Fixtures for the 2021 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy

May 29

Northern Diamonds v Central Sparks
Western Storm v Thunder
Sunrisers v South East Stars
Southern Vipers v Lightning

May 31

Lightning v Northern Diamonds
Central Sparks v Western Storm
South East Stars v Southern Vipers
Thunder v Sunrisers

June 5

South East Stars v Western Storm
Sunrisers v Northern Diamonds
Thunder v Lightning
Southern Vipers v Central Sparks

June 12

Northern Diamonds v South East Stars
Lightning v Sunrisers
Central Sparks v Thunder
Western Storm v Southern Vipers

September 10

Northern Diamonds v Western Storm
South East Stars v Lightning
Sunrisers v Central Sparks
Thunder v Southern Vipers

September 12

Northern Diamonds v Thunder
Central Sparks v South East Stars
Western Storm v Lightning
Sunrisers v Southern Vipers

September 18

Lightning v Central Sparks
South East Stars v Thunder
Western Storm v Sunrisers
Southern Vipers v Northern Diamonds

September 22

2nd v 3rd Playoff

September 25

Final

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