Surrey return home to the Kia Oval on Wednesday evening, looking for their third victory in a row when Durham visit for the only standalone Vitality Blast women’s match of the season
The Kia Oval is set to celebrate the Vitality Blast Champions, as the trophy goes on display on the Pavilion forecourt.
Play gets underway at 18.30pm in the south London sunshine.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP WITH PLAY?
The matches with Lancashire will be broadcast live on the Surrey YouTube channel. The Club’s social media channels will provide updates and video clips, with a written report, highlights and the Oval & Out podcast available at the end of play.
SQUAD NEWS
Charlotte Lambert and Izzy Sidhu return to this week’s squad. Priyanaz Chatterji has departed for Scotland international duty ahead of the World Cup.
LAST TIME OUT VS DURHAM
The last time Durham faced Surrey at the Kia Oval in the Vitality Blast, Surrey delivered one of their most complete performances of the 2025 season.
Ryana Macdonald-Gay made an early impact, striking in the second over to dismiss experienced New Zealand international Suzie Bates for five, her middle stump sent flying. Macdonald-Gay struck again in the fourth over, removing Mady Villiers to put Surrey firmly on top.
Durham posted 141/5, setting Surrey a modest target. In responde, Bryony Smith set the tone with a quick-fire 44 from 28 balls, but it was Danni Wyatt-Hodge who took centre stage, cruising to a composed and professional unbeaten 77.
The England opener guided Surrey to victory in the 13th over alongside Kira Chathli.
Surrey will be looking to replicate that dominant performance on Wednesday night as they hunt for their third win in a row.
DURHAM
Captain: Hollie Armitage
Overseas player: Heather Graham (Australia, all)
2025 finish: 5th
2025 leading run-scorer: Suzie Bates (439)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Katie Levick (13)
Key winter moves: Australian all-rounder Heather Graham has been signed to replace veteran New Zealander Suzie Bates, who was unable to return to the North East because of T20 World Cup duty. Graham has spent the last two seasons as an overseas player with The Blaze. She was a Charlotte Edwards T20 Cup winner in 2024 and a Blast semi-finalist last summer.
The big question: Can Durham kick on from last year’s mid-table, group stage finish? Only five wins from 14 matches last term left them short of a Finals Day appearance by a good distance. Two fewer games this season, they must target at least six wins to have a chance of a top-four finish for a 17 July trip to the Kia Oval.
Wildcard watch: Sophia Turner. Spinners Katie Levick (13 wickets) and Mady Villiers (11) led the way with the ball for Durham in last season’s Blast, but skilful Sophia Turner – aged 23 – was their most prolific seamer with 10. She struck in six of her last seven Blast games in 2025, the other being a No Result. She is used more late in an innings by Hollie Armitage.
Final thought: Hollie Armitage and Bess Heath will be hoping they can transfer that winning feeling from last year’s Hundred with the Northern Superchargers through to their county. The knowledge they gained from that can only help the younger players in Durham’s squad. The loss of director of cricket Marcus North to England as the new men’s national selector within sight of the competition starting is not ideal, but the bulk of the preparation for this campaign will be done now.
