Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rich Pyrah has been looking ahead to the start of the Vitality Blast this weekend.
Yorkshire arrived at county cricket’s top table at the start of this summer with a trophy under their belts, winning the Tier 2 Metro Bank One-Day Cup last year. But you could make a compelling argument to suggest that T20 cricket was their strongest suit in 2025.
The White Rose side were beaten finalists by Middlesex in last year’s Vitality Blast competition. Heading in that final, though, they won nine games out of nine; eight in the group stage and then a semi-final. In addition, they played four County T20 Cup ties and won three of them.
On that basis, they should head into their maiden Tier 1 Blast campaign, starting against The Blaze at Trent Bridge on Friday – 2.30pm, in confident mood.
In addition, The Blaze are one of two sides Yorkshire have already beaten in 50-over cricket this summer alongside defending champions Lancashire.
Head coach Rich Pyrah said: “We played some really consistent T20 cricket last year.
“Our strength, especially with the ball, is in the spin department. Taking the pace off the ball really worked for us, it was a big plus last year.
“We are struggling for depth in other areas with injuries and losing Rachel Slater and Sterre Kalis to the T20 World Cup for a period of time.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Claudie Cooper has been in fine form at the start of the summer, in 50-over cricket.
“But one thing is that we go into the Blast knowing our spin department is strong again.”
At the forefront of that is in-form Australian overseas all-rounder Jess Jonassen with her left-arm spin. She is currently the joint leading wicket-taker in the One-Day Cup with 18, in addition to being the second leading run-scorer with 426.
Off-spinner Claudie Cooper is having a good summer, striking 13 times and also being called up to an ECB Development XI to face the touring New Zealanders at the start of the month, there is also Maddie Ward to factor in.
Then you have leg-spinning all-rounders Sarah Glenn (finger) and Olivia Thomas (shin), who are closing in on a return to full fitness.
They are unlikely to feature against The Blaze, but hopefully their services will be called upon pretty soon.
Last year, off-spinning all-rounder Ria Fackrell was the leading wicket-taker in the Tier 2 Blast but is yet to play for the White Rose in 2026.
Sterre Kalis and Rachel Slater are expected to miss a little over half of the Blast campaign because of the T20 World Cup, which starts next month. They will be available to face The Blaze before be back and forth from a warm-up tri-series in Scotland which also includes Bangladesh. That starts next Thursday.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rachel Slater will start the Blast with Yorkshire before turning her attentions to the T20 World Cup with Scotland.
“I said at the beginning of the season that our main aim last year was to find out about the players, give opportunities, but also find a way of playing,” continued Pyrah. “We did that, and we did it consistently last year.
“Just because we’ve gone up a level, we won’t be changing anything.
“We’ll be still keeping the same plans of being aggressive, trying to get those big scores and defending with our spin department.
“Claudie’s kicked on a lot, and she adds a lot in the field too. Then JJ is JJ. She’s been outstanding for us.”
Yorkshire beat The Blaze by 70 runs at Headingley last month in the One-Day Cup, riding on a fine 67 and four wickets for Jonassen.
The White Rose haven’t really been able to build on that win since and currently sit second from bottom in that competition at its halfway point. The Blaze, meanwhile, have won their other seven matches and sit top.
They were beaten Blast semi-finalists last year. In fact, they were beaten in the semi-finals of all three competitions.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Blaze all-rounder Kathryn Bryce scored a fifty against Yorkshire in a Metro Bank One-Day Cup defeat last month. She will be key to their hopes of success at Trent Bridge tomorrow.
Coached by former New Zealand men’s batter Craig Cumming, they are captained by spin-bowling all-rounder Kirstie Gordon. The Nottinghamshire-based side have signed Australian batting all-rounder Charli Knott as their T20 overseas player.
“The Blaze are a good team,” said Pyrah. “They’re one of the most consistent teams with a lot of strength and depth in their squad.
“It’s going to be a tough start. But, like we’ve seen so far this season, if we play well and our senior girls fire, we can beat anyone.”
This is the first instalment of a daily Blast double header at Trent Bridge tomorrow, with Yorkshire’s men taking on Notts from 6.30pm.
The two White Rose senior sides start their respective campaigns as part of two double headers. On Sunday at Headingley, the women play champions Surrey in the morning before the men tackle Derbyshire in the afternoon.
Pyrah added: “It’s exciting, and it’s where the girls want to be.
“The Blaze and Surrey are two of the strongest teams in the competition, and it’s great that we’re playing under more pressure in front of bigger crowds. There are more eyes on it, and that’s part of how the girls are going to develop.”
