Katie Levick is confident the Northern Diamonds have what it takes to overcome Sunrisers on Saturday and qualify for another Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final.
The Diamonds are hosting Sunrisers at Headingley (10.30am) this weekend, with qualification for a fourth 50-over regional final their prize at stake.
Champions in 2022, victory will give leg-spinner Levick and co the chance to emulate what many of them see as a career highlight having beaten Southern Vipers in the Lord’s final three seasons ago.
Diamonds finished top of this summer’s RHFT group table with nine wins from 14 games, while Sunrisers qualified in fourth with seven wins.
Both sides won their respective home matches in the head-to-head battles this term, Diamonds winning at York and then the Sunrisers victorious at Chelmsford.
Sunrisers have emerged as a real force this season, highlighted by the fact they have won seven games. In seasons 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 combined, they only won six 50-over fixtures.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Katie Levick is bidding for a second Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title.
Levick said: “With their record over the years, you can underestimate them a lot. But they’re a really good unit.
“Like the Diamonds, someone different always seems to step up for them.
“For us, someone’s stepped up in each of the games, so we’re high on confidence.”
Diamonds may be heading into this game on the back of a group-ending defeat to South East Stars at Durham last Saturday, but it was a game that didn’t mean anything because they were already confirmed as group winners.
And they do have recent happy memories of Headingley. Last Wednesday, they beat Vipers in the penultimate group match by one wicket off the last ball to seal their semi-final berth.
Levick and Rachel Slater put on 25 for the last wicket to help seal a win off the last ball chasing a target of 241.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Lauren Winfield-Hill captains the side in the absence of Hollie Armitage.
There’s no denying that qualification through to the semi-final is quite the achievement for the Diamonds, who have performed superbly on the field in 50-over cricket amidst the backdrop of significant uncertainty off it.
With the change in structure of the women’s game for 2025 and Yorkshire not being granted Tier One status until 2026, it has meant that a number of players have had to search for pastures new.
Levick, along with a number of team-mates, have signed for Tier One side Durham.
“There’s a been lot of off-the-pitch noise around, but we’ve just been trying to enjoy our cricket as much as possible because it’s the last opportunity we’re going to have to play together under the Diamonds badge,” she said.
“We’ve been desperate to get to a final.
“We’ve played every game like it might be our last, and that will be the case again on Saturday.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Phoebe Turner would love a repeat of her individual performance in defeat against South East Stars at Durham last Saturday. She claimed two wickets and hit 49 not out.
“Fifty-over cricket has been our strongest suit.
“We did well at the start of the year, went into the Hundred on the back of three out of four wins and have won a couple of since the resumption.
“Historically, as well, as Diamonds, that’s been our strongest format.
“When you have to hold your skill for longer, we really back ourselves. It’s where we’ve excelled over the four years and where we feel at our best.
“Nine times out of 10 when we’ve lost, it’s been down to ourselves.
“Look at Saturday against the Stars, we weren’t good in any of the disciplines. We acknowledge that. But we know it wasn’t because of the opposing team being unbeatable.
Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com. The Diamonds are bidding to reclaim the title they won at Lord’s in 2022.
“If we go away, put the work in, back ourselves, we know we have the ability.
“We’ve won a lot of games across the four years that we shouldn’t have won, and that’s real testament to the grit that Dani Hazell’s drilled into us. Hopefully, it’s two more to go.”
No doubt this week, memories will have come flooding back of that amazing day at Lord’s in September 2022 when the Diamonds beat the Vipers to lift the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title.
They certainly will do even more so next week should the Diamonds qualify to face either the Vipers or the South East Stars, who play the other semi-final at Beckenham.
Levick bowled the deciding over in that Lord’s final as the Diamonds defended a 216-target target to win by two runs.
“We’re within touching distance again,” said Levick, who has claimed 18 wickets in the RHFT this season.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Yorkshire legend Katie Levick could play her last game at Headingley this weekend.
“That was a career highlight for a lot of the girls.
“You might never go onto international cricket, like myself, but those moments are so amazing.
“All season, we’ve said that we want nothing more than to finish our Diamonds tenure in a final.”
Of course, with Levick leaving for Durham, Saturday could feasibly be her last ever career appearance at Headingley. That will also ring true for some other Diamonds players this weekend.
The chances are they will return as visiting players, but nothing is certain. The fixture planners may have other ideas. The thought has certainly crossed Yorkshire legend Levick’s mind.
The 33-year-old, who has penned a three-year contract with Durham, said: “I thought there was a good chance that the Vipers game last week could be my last ever game at Headingley.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Beth Langston claimed a stunning six-wicket haul in victory against Sunrisers at York in July.
“I’m just taking it all in.
“I’ve absolutely loved playing at Headingley.
“There’s no denying that I’m Yorkshire born and bred, and I’ve loved calling it home and my office. I’ll just enjoy every moment.
“I’ve loved every moment that I’ve run out on that pitch, and I’m so thankful that I get another opportunity to do it.”
Lauren Winfield-Hill will continue to captain the Diamonds in the absence of Hollie Armitage, who is on England T20 international duty in Ireland.
Should Diamonds qualify for the final, Armitage would return.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Rachel Slater could help set the tone with the new ball on Saturday.
Bess Heath’s situation is different. She was with England for the ODI leg of their Ireland tour but has since returned home to prepare for the T20 World Cup in the UAE, which starts early next month.
That preparation would likely rule her out of the final as well as this semi.
A group of Diamonds players travelled to Belfast yesterday to watch Armitage and Heath in action in the third ODI.
Sunrisers will be missing their off-spinning all-rounder Mady Villiers, who is still in Ireland with Armitage.
Don’t miss out on the Northern Diamonds’ last match at Headingley, in semi-final action on Saturday. Secure your tickets below…
