Sefton Park welcomes Lancashire captain Ellie Threlkeld for Thunder Cup competition

Following the news that Sefton Park CC have been chosen as one of the eight competing clubs in the inaugural Thunder Cup we have now discovered which Lancashire Women and Lancashire Academy players will be coming to play at Croxteth Drive.

Sefton Park CC, Lindow CC, Leigh CC, Ramsbottom CC, Edgworth CC, Leyland CC, Stockport Georgians CC and Didsbury CC have all been selected and will play in the first edition of the competition, which starts this summer.

The competition - which will start following discussions over recent years - was formally announced in the autumn, and was included as part of Lancashire Cricket's successful Tier One bid to further improve standards of recreational women's cricket across the North West. Clubs throughout the region have had the opportunity to apply - as well as shape the competition and ask questions - which concluded with a thorough application and interview process.

The eight competing Clubs have been allocated their designated Lancashire Women and Lancashire Academy players.

All 18 full-time players from Lancashire Women have been allocated a Club, in addition to 13 players from the Academy.

Sefton Park CC have been allocated Emilia Lamb, Sophie Morris, Martha Rimmer and Ellie Threlkeld.

Ellie Threlkeld

Ellie Threlkeld

Lancashire skipper Ellie, 26, is a product of Rainford Cricket Club and has played men’s cricket - and kept wicket - for Rainford’s first team in the Liverpool Competition

Despite her tender years she is a Lancashire stalwart and an inspirational leader who also skippered the Manchester Originals for the latter stages of the 2023 Hundred when Sophie Ecclestone went down injured.

Ellie, who toured Australia with England A in early 2022, has been an ever-present for Thunder across the first four years of regional cricket.

She was also an ever-present for Lancashire Thunder in the days of the Kia Super League between 2016 and 2019.

She was part of the Lancashire team which won the county one-day and T20 double in 2017 and captained the side as they won the 2022 regional T20 title.

Speaking about Ellie, World Cup winner Sarah Taylor said: “She has got phenomenal hands - one of the best in the country."

Sophie Morris

Whatever Sophie Morris, 21, does in her cricketing career, she will always remember the day she took the astonishing figures of 6-0 on her debut for Thunder’s Academy.

The date was May 10, 2022. The fixture was a 20-over friendly against the Lightning Academy from the East Midlands. Sale Cricket Club was the venue.

And, in a flash, left-arm spinner Morris, then 18, ripped the visitors’ batting line-up apart in a 2.1-over spell which understandably captured the headlines.

The Wirral Globe, for example, described her feat as “incredible”.

Morris was born on the Wirral and is a product of Cheshire County League side, Upton CC.

In that Wirral Globe piece, a spokesperson for Upton hailed her “incredible drive and determination”.

In 2024, she played ten matches for North West Thunder, across the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the Charlotte Edwards Cup, taking 13 wickets.

Emilia Lamb

In 2023 Emilia, 19, became the first woman to represent Newton le Willows at 1st XI level. The seamer joined Lancashire's Academy in 2024.

Martha Rimmer

Bowler Martha, 19, is a product of Ormskirk CC and has played for the club's 2nd XI.

We wish all of them a war welcome to Sefton Park CC.