Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Matt Ward in action with the bat against Essex Eagles at Headingley earlier this month. This Sunday, she will take on captaincy and wicketkeeping duties.
Maddie Ward says she is ready to take on the Yorkshire captaincy and is “100 percent looking forward to it”.
Ward will make her competitive captaincy debut on Sunday, leading the county in the Vitality Blast Tier 2 opener against Derbyshire Falcons at Headingley (2.30pm).
The 20-year-old deputises for regular skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill, who has now joined Essex Eagles on loan for two months of Tier 1 cricket ahead of the Hundred.
Ward’s fellow vice captain Rachel Slater is also sidelined with a fractured wrist.
“I’ve had a couple of games where I’ve done it. We had a friendly against Lancs recently where I captained, and I also did it on tour (Abu Dhabi) in pre-season,” said Ward.
“I’ve just tried to learn as much as I can from Loz (Winfield-Hill) – how she goes about things.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Maddie Ward is set for her competitive captaincy debut on Sunday.
“It’ll be a good challenge, but I’m 100 percent looking forward to it.”
Ward’s Yorkshire head into the Blast in buoyant mood, having won six out of eight matches so far this summer – three in each of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2 competition and the Vitality County T20 Cup knockout event.
In the latter, Yorkshire beat Essex Eagles in round three before losing their quarter-final to another Tier 1 opponent, Warwickshire Bears, at Weetwood last Saturday.
Already this season, Yorkshire have beaten Derbyshire twice. At the start of the month, they beat them in the One-Day Cup at Derby and at Harrogate two days later in the first round of the County Cup.
“Against them we’ve had two quite big wins,” continued Ward. “But we’re not guaranteed to have the same result again. Something Rich (Pyrah, head coach) is big on is staying level, and that’s what we have to do.
“So, stay level and keep doing what we’re doing. We’re going about our cricket really well at the minute.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Grace Hall will be a key component in Yorkshire’s bowling attack in the forthcoming Vitality Blast.
Winfield-Hill is on loan in Tier 1 for the Blast, so too is Dutch international batter Sterre Kalis with the Bears.
So far this summer, Ward has played as an all-rounder, batting in the middle order and bowling spin.
But the former England Under 19’s main suit is her wicketkeeping, and that’s the role she will take on now that Winfield-Hill has departed.
Rich Pyrah said: “The plan this year with Maddie was always, ‘When Lauren’s here, you’re going to bowl. When she’s not here, you’re going to keep’.
“She’s done really well has Maddie.
“With Lauren and Sterre out on loan, we have a couple of injuries as well, we’ve got a young team. But it gives opportunities to others.”
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Sterre Kalis has returned to loan duty with Warwickshire.
Ward has actually recovered from a split webbing on her right hand – suffered against the Bears last Saturday – to play against the Falcons, who have lost all five matches so far this summer across the two formats.
As for Yorkshire’s start to the summer, Ward added: “That first game of the season, when we lost against Worcester, that wasn’t ideal. I think we let the occasion get to us. But since then we’ve been brilliant.
“I wouldn’t say that we’ve been perfect, but that’s something we can keep pushing for.”
In his own assessment of the start to 2025, Pyrah also referenced that opening day 50-over defeat to Worcester at Headingley in mid-April. He added: “That was a bit of a leveller for the girls.
“Big winter leading up to it, first time out at Headingley for a lot of them. With the way they’ve reacted to it, looking back, it was probably a really good thing.
“Overall, it’s been a good block. We’ve seen that the results have been good, but we’ve also had some very good individual performances.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Rich Pyrah loved T20 cricket as a player for Yorkshire’s men.
“The pleasing thing for me is I’m seeing improvements.
“From what we’ve worked on in the winter, you can see how well we’re striking the ball when we’re batting. With the fielding, we’re looking at a better outfit. We’re also getting wickets at crucial times.
“All in all, it’s been a decent start.
“We’re looking forward to the Blast now. I love this format. I did as a player. I really liked the pace of it and being involved with bat, ball and in the field.
“It suited my game, and it’s just good fun.
“That’s what I want to see from the girls. We played some good cricket in the County Cup, and I just want them to keep enjoying it.”
