Why Northern Diamonds are feeling positive in pursuit of Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy crown

The Diamonds have won four out of six games so far and sit second in the table with 19 points. They are four behind leaders The Blaze and four ahead of South East Stars and Central Sparks, who both have 15 points in third and fourth place.

The top three teams qualify for knockout cricket, while the top team after 14 group games advances directly to the late September final at Northampton.

It means Friday’s fixture against the Blaze at Chesterfield (10.30am) is a key one.

New kid on the block Grace Hall is loving life in the thick of the Diamonds’ bid for silverware, in what is her debut season in senior regional cricket.

After impressing in the Charlotte Edwards T20 Cup earlier this season, Hall continued her form with the ball in the longer format, taking 4-33 in the win over South East Stars win on Sunday at Beckenham.

“It’s a big game again, and they’re up top. It was a great win for us against the Stars, but we’ll refresh and start again,” said Hall.

“It’s our first away game against the Blaze, so hopefully we can turn them over on their patch.”

The Diamonds have a score to settle having been beaten twice by the Blaze this season, once in both competitions – both of them coming at Durham.

“I’m really enjoying where we’re at,” added Hall. “We’ve bonded so well as a team, even more so as the season’s gone on. It’s really exciting to see where the season takes us.”

Despite Sunday being Hall’s 50-over debut, she slotted into the team seamlessly, deceiving a quartet of Stars batters with her slingy action, accuracy and variations aplenty.

“Playing the T20 stuff allowed me to feel comfortable going out there even though it’s a very different game to 50-over cricket,” she said.

“Before the game, I discussed with Dani (Hazell) that while my bowling is very T20 style in a way, I didn’t want to lose that coming into the 50 overs. It gives me confidence that I didn’t have to change any of my game. I know how I can take wickets.

“I take on a slightly different role in 50-over cricket, but there are plenty of similarities as well if that makes sense.

"Coming back to bowl at the death, for example, I feel I’m quite well suited to that. But I do try and swing the ball early on.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Sunday’s seven-wicket victory chasing a target of 206 against the Stars was a huge moment for the Diamonds, and not just because it yielded five points. Its importance was arguably much more significant.

Hall explained: “It was the first time the five girls have come through our Academy had played together in the same game.”

Hall, Emma Marlow, Lizzie Scott, Phoebe Turner and Jess Woolston were those players.

“A few of us have been playing in other games and others haven’t. So for us all to be out there together, it was really nice,” reflected Hall.

“For all five us to be playing having only come into the squad in the last year or so, it just shows how good the Academy programme has been in pushing us to where we want to be.

“With the five of us coming in, to join a new team and win a trophy together would be absolutely unbelievable. But we have a long way to go yet.”