Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Olivia Thomas celebrates one of her 17 wickets in 11 competitive appearances for Yorkshire this summer – her first at Headingley.
Olivia Thomas is loving being a part of Yorkshire’s “spinners’ union” as the county continues to progress at pace towards Tier 1 cricket from next summer onwards.
Academy all-rounder Thomas, 21-years-old, has impressed with both ball and bat this summer – her first at Headingley.
In all cricket, including friendlies, Thomas has taken 31 wickets with her leg-spinners, adding 179 runs down the order. Competitively, she has taken 17 wickets in 11 matches, including a best of 4-16, and has posted a best of 63 in four innings with the bat.
Thomas has been speaking ahead of Sunday’s Vitality Blast clash with Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Headingley (11am).
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” she said. “I’m really happy.
“I didn’t play that first game of the season against Worcestershire but came in for the second.
“I took a wicket on debut (at Sussex) and then scored runs and took wickets against Derbyshire. It’s gone on from there and been nice and steady.
Picture by John Clifton/SWPix.com. Ria Fackrell, with her off-spin, is the leading wicket-taker in this summer’s Vitality Blast 2 competition. She has starred with 13 wickets in five games.
“If I can keep going as I am – taking wickets, scoring runs and as a team we keep winning games – you can’t ask for much more.”
Thomas has performed alongside fellow senior twirlers in Claudie Cooper and Ria Fackrell.
The trio’s work has been supplemented by captain Maddie Ward, who has combined her wicketkeeping duties with bowling some varied spin. Academy leg-spinner Holly Garton has also played a couple of games in T20 cricket.
Finals Day bound Yorkshire have taken 68 wickets with spin across three competitions this season.
“Our bowling unit’s really strong,” continued Thomas.
“In every game, everyone’s chipping in – taking wickets and keeping the runs down. In T20 cricket, in particular, that’s massive.
“I’m loving it. We have a really good spinners’ union going on.
Picture by John Clifton/SWPix.com. Offie Claudie Cooper is a key part of Yorkshire’s “spinners’ union”.
“We all pick up bits from each other and help each other out. You know, things like field placing and plans. We all work together really well on that stuff.”
During the most recent winter, Thomas swapped home county Lancashire for Yorkshire. Between 2019 and 2023, the Mancunian made a handful of appearances for the Red Rose and Thunder in the old county structure and regional cricket respectively.
“Having had that experience, it’s not necessarily like coming into things completely fresh,” she said.
“Yes, it’s a new group at Yorkshire, but I’ve played some senior cricket before. That made it a bit easier to settle in. You know what the deal is on match days and things like that.
“I’ve now had double the experience of senior cricket that I’ve had before, which is great.”
Thomas and her Yorkshire team-mates are brimming with confidence. Having won five from five, including last time out against Northamptonshire the Sunday before last, they have already qualified for Finals Day later this month with three games remaining.
They are also very well placed in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup competition, which resumes next month with them having won three of four games so far.
Picture by John Heald. Academy leg-spinner Olivia Thomas has impressed over the last few months.
“Two trophies this year, that’s what we’re aiming for,” said Thomas.
“And looking at Tier 1, I think we’re more than capable of holding our own. We proved that in the County Cup. We’ve beaten a Tier 1 side (Essex), which shows what we’re capable of.”
That spinners’ union which Thomas spoke of earlier is only gong to get stronger as Australian star Jess Jonassen is on her way to Headingley next summer.
Last week, the county announced the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder as their overseas player for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
“We started the pre-season with just two off-spinners in Claudie and Ria,” said coach Pyrah.
“Women’s cricket is heavily dominated by spin, and we felt a bit light. But we brought Liv in and she’s doing well, and we have a couple in the Academy who are also doing well.
“One of our strengths this year has been squeezing in the middle of the innings with good, consistent spin.
Picture by Martin Keep/Getty Images. Australian spin-bowling all-rounder Jess Jonassen is coming to Headingley for the next two summers.
“It’s been pleasing to see.”
And on Thomas’s progression, specifically, he added: “She’s obviously been doing really well with the ball, but she can bat too.
“We haven’t seen as much of that side of it yet, with her batting at seven or eight. But she’s a genuine batter.
“She’s got a decent cricket brain, she reads the game pretty nicely.”
Last time out, Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire by five wickets at Peterborough Town CC on Sunday June 29, replying successfully to a 150-9 total.
Fackrell stood out with 4-17 from four overs, and she is the leading wicket-taker in the Blast. Captain Maddie Ward top-scored with a composed 34.
Yorkshire will be without Sterre Kalis and Lauren Winfield-Hill, who played in that game but have returned to Tier 1 loan duty with the Bears and Essex respectively.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Maddie Ward has contributed to Yorkshire’s impressive summer with bat, ball, wicketkeeping and her captaincy.
They are expected to be available for Finals Day, however.
The Steelbacks have won two of their six games so far. They are captained by opening batter Gemma Marriott and coached by David Ripley.
Sunday’s clash is the first part of a Blast double-header day with Yorks
