Maiden: Friendlies are chance for players to stake a claim

Bears Women’s countdown to their debut season continues with four friendly games in the space of nine days – and First Team Coach Ali Maiden said it’s an opportunity for players to make an impression.

briggford

2025-04-09T16:00:00.000Z

His side play four 50-over warm-up games ahead of their Metro Bank One Day Cup opener against Hampshire Women at Edgbaston on 23 April.

They start tomorrow against Durham, followed by The Blaze (11 April), Somerset Women (14 April) and finally Lancashire Thunder on 18 April.

Edgbaston will host the first three friendlies before Bears Women switch to Portland Road on 18 April. All games will be Live Streamed but are not open to the public.

Maiden said the games will be a good test and to benchmark themselves against other Tier 1 sides.

“The first couple of games are about getting the players back to match sharpness,” he added. “We’ve had plenty of centre wicket practice and grass nets which so early in the year is a great achievement by the grounds team here.

“The next phase is getting used to match play. Being out on your feet for 50 overs, putting an innings together, bowling longer spells. But the games next week I want to be more competitive. We want to get into a winning habit before the season starts.”

Bears Women will be without Captain Georgia Davis, Charis Pavely, Hannah Baker and Davina Perrin who are all with England A in Australia.

Maiden added: “They will return to us next week and they’ll be match sharp and have benefited from training camps and testing themselves against some of the world’s best players. And the same goes for Davina and Amu (Surenkumar) who were involved in the recent Under-19s World Cup.

“While they’re away it’s an opportunity for others to show what they can do. People like Millie and Amu (both new arrivals at Edgbaston) we haven’t seen too much of them so it’s a chance to stake a claim.

New loan signing, Dutch international Sterre Kalis, is set to feature against Durham, while Maiden said an experienced overseas player is expected to join Bears Women for the Vitality Blast campaign.

“Sterre is a very experienced cricketer,” he added. “She’s still young but has done well internationally and domestically here, including for Birmingham Phoenix.

“She’s a quality addition. I’m really excited to have her. And the way she plays is important for me too, she’s an aggressive player, looks to be positive.”

Bears Women will compete for trophies on three fronts in 2025: Vitality Blast, Metro Bank One Day Cup, and for the first time a knockout competition, the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, featuring sides from all three tiers of the national system.