Impressive Lewis continues to dominate as Lancashire crush Durham in season opener

Lancashire (303/8) beat Durham (154 all out) by 149 runs (match reduced to 48 overs per side)

Maybe it is slightly unfair to imagine that the beginning of the English cricket season, arriving as it does hot on the heals of the dawn of British Summer Time, earmarks the start of “actual Summer”.

Occasionally, in England, we are blessed with an unseasonably warm April. April 2025 was such a month, when the new county structure for English women’s cricket coincided with some hot sunny weather, helping Emma Lamb and Ella McCaughan, amongst many others, to feast upon the runs available on the flat, dry pitches up and down the country.

The season 2026 began today with the month of April returning truly to form. The temperature reached a bracing 7 degrees at the scheduled start time at Chester-le-Street. One can only feel for Durham’s incoming overseas player, Tahlia Wilson. Only two weeks ago, she was in Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis, receiving her first international cap for Australia, where the temperature today is around 30 degrees. She lives in Sydney, where the temperature today is 25 degrees. Welcome to the English summer Tahlia!

It was no surprise, therefore, that having won the toss, Durham invited Lancashire to bat first under steel-grey skies in a brisk and icy breeze. 

Lancashire, the reigning Metro Bank One Day Cup Champions, are not the sort to be overawed by cold and damp weather. They came out to bat with the intention of building a huge total. Emma Lamb and Eve Jones began aggressively, albeit aided and abetted by some fairly wayward bowling from Sophia Turner and Lauren Filer, with nine wides conceded in the first five overs.

Tahlia Wilson also made an inauspicious start to her Durham career as an edge from Eve Jones whizzed past her gloves and down to the boundary in the third over. It was Turner who provided the breakthrough for Lancashire, tempting Lamb with a ball just outside off stump, which she edged to Emma Marlow, who took a splendid low catch at slip.

Gaby Lewis was the incoming batter, hero of the 2025 Metro Bank final. She scored 141 not out on that famous day to lead the Red Rose County to the trophy, and as the next couple of hours unfolded, it felt like she had been spending the last 202 days waiting to have the chance to continue that innings. The Ireland captain, defying the elements in short sleeves even on the bitterest of early season days, added 176 for the second wicket across 30 magnificent overs alongside Eve Jones.

Glorious off drives, sumptuous sweeps, boundaries through extra-cover: Lewis treated us all to a spectacle of chance-free batting, full of effortless skill and nonchalant power. Jones, batting slightly more conservatively, was the ideal foil for Lewis, their left- and right-hand combination disrupting the bowlers’ lines and their rapid running between the wickets a constant frustration to Durham as they tried to stem the flow of runs.

Jones was dismissed selflessly for 82 as she attempted to accelerate her strike rate in the 35^th over, but Lewis continued to record another century before being dismissed by Phoebe Turner’s final delivery in the 43^rd over, bowled for 131 from 116 balls.

There then followed a procession of Lancashire batters, none of whom remained at the crease very long, as only Seren Smale remained to compile a significant innings to see Lancashire past 300 in the 48^th over.

It seemed an unlikely total for Durham to chase, but one which would be a good indication of how prepared they are to compete this season in the absence of Suzie Bates. And Durham made a confident start, taking 11 runs from Kate Cross in the first over of their reply. Unfortunately, this was as good as it got for the home side.

Tahlia Wilson completed a fairly unhappy début by being dismissed for 4 from 12 balls – her off stump cartwheeled following a peach of a delivery from Tata Norris. There will be better days for the Aussie international this season, but she will need to adjust quickly to the variable bounce of pitches in England. I also suspect she has never experienced playing cricket when the temperature is so low – this will be another challenge for her to overcome.

Hollie Armitage looked as good as ever, but miscued a shot to Sophie Ecclestone, the ball looping up to the outstretched hand of Gaby Lewis. It was the combined efforts of Grace Potts and Sophie Ecclestone which really strangled the life out of Durham’s innings, the miserliness of Potts’ 3 for 21 from her 7 overs somewhat overshadowed by Ecclestone’s 2 for 10 from her 7 overs.

It was part time spinner Emma Lamb who reaped the rewards of this, as Durham batters played false shots to her as they tried desperately to reduce the required run rate. It was Lamb who removed Durham’s most potent batter, Emily Windsor, in the 33^rd over as she attempted to bring up her 50 by guiding the ball round the corner to fine leg, she feathered a catch to Ellie Threlkeld to be dismissed for 46 from 61 balls. 

With the final outcome inevitable, Durham’s batters continued to push and prod runs until finally being dismissed in the 40^th over, Katie Levick run out for 2 from 17 balls. Durham were all out for a disappointing 154.

So, what can we learn from today’s game? Lancashire are contenders. They could and should secure a top 3 spot to qualify for the business end of the season. Durham will take comfort from the excellent bowling of Phoebe Turner and the batting of Emily Windsor.

There will be easier fixtures and better days for them. Expect to see Grace Thompson called back into action as the season progresses. It will be very interesting to see the impact she can have on this team.