Fri 30 May 2025
The County Ground
West Indies
The Derbyshire Women & Girls Pathway has been a prolific production line for top-level cricketers throughout the years, and three of the current England Women squad honed their craft in the system.
Under the tutelage of the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sarah Glenn and Bess Heath all spent time within the Pathway’s ranks, developing their skills on their journey to becoming international cricketers.
All three players could be in action when England return to Derby to face the West Indies on Friday 30 May, so get your tickets now and support our homegrown heroes.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England Women’s leading IT20 run-scorer of all time, Wyatt-Hodge has spent much of her domestic career with Southern Vipers, where she won three Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophies and two Charlotte Edwards Cups. She has also won The Hundred with Southern Brave and was a key member of the England squad, which won the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup.
Sarah Glenn
Derby-born Sarah Glenn, 25, was in the Derbyshire system for much of her development, making her debut for Derbyshire’s senior Women’s team in 2013, aged just 13 and quickly became a regular in the side. In 2017, she joined Loughbrorough Lightning and played in the Kia Super League, where she impressed enough to make her England debut two years later.
2020’s pandemic saw England Women based in Derby for the entire summer, and Glenn made the most of having home advantage by being named Player of the Series, as England claimed a 5-0 victory in the IT20 series against West Indies. She has established herself as one of the leading spinners in world cricket and won the Charlotte Edwards Cup with The Blaze in 2024.
Bess Heath
Bess Heath, 23, came through the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation’s Women and Girls’ Pathway after being discovered aged nine at a Chance to Shine school open day, and played for the Girls’ Pathway from Under 11s to the first team.
She went on to feature in the Kia Super League for Yorkshire Diamonds in 2018 and 2019 and has since become a key member for Nothern Diamonds side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachel Heyhoe Flint, scoring a combined 357 runs in the 2023 competitions, striking at over 120. She was of the Diamonds’ Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy-winning side of 2022 and has been in the senior England setup since 2023, making her debut against Sri Lanka and so far earning eight caps.
With Derbyshire Women playing in Tier Two of the new domestic structure, it’s hoped the current squad and Pathway can build on the incredible work done by the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation and the three players who will be representing our county with England this summer.
Names made and memorable moments in Derby
It’s not just players developed within the Derbyshire system who have enjoyed memorable moments at The County Ground, here we take a look at just a few highlights.
Sciver-Brunt invents the ‘Natmeg’
It was during a 2017 ICC World Cup fixture against New Zealand at Derby that Nat Sciver-Brunt stunned the world with the ‘Natmeg’, a shot which saw the all-rounder flick the ball through her own legs and into the leg-side.
The clip of the shot went viral on social media, one of many moments in which Sciver-Brunt has shown herself to be one of the world’s best and most innovative players, including being the first English woman to claim an IT20 hat-trick. She will be in action at The County Ground against West Indies in May.
Heather Knight’s match-winning ton
Heather Knight might not be leading the side at Derby next month, but she will have fond memories of the captain’s knock she produced against New Zealand in 2021, to claim an ODI series win.
Chasing 245 to win, Knight made 101 from 107 balls, including ten fours, and in the process put together one of the iconic England in Derby innings and gave her side an unassailable 3-1 series lead.
A message from Sophia Dunkley
England batter, Sophia Dunkley, is looking forward to creating more memories with England in Derby and hopes to see a big crowd at The County Ground for the Metro Bank ODI against West Indies on Friday 30 May.
