The inaugural winners of the Charlotte Edwards Cup last season, the Stars have a side suited to the T20 format, which may have been a factor why it took them to find their feet in the first season of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in 2021.
The Stars proved that a player could use the regional competitions to propel their players to international recognition. Tash Farrant did just that in their first season; Farrant had been a contracted player with England before the 2017 World Cup but found herself out of the team that went on to win the final at Lord’s, and it looked like her international career was over. But instead, she proved everyone by fighting her way back into the squad.
South East Stars have a good mix of experienced players with young and up and coming stars.
Key Players
Two Stars players that found themselves on the edge of the England squad are Bryony Smith and Alice Davidson-Richards. Both time the ball well as batters and Smith an off-spinner and Davidson-Richards with her medium pace are handy bowlers. If those two clicks, then South East Stars will be a difficult side to stop. Smith will captain the side this season.
Freya Davies may find herself in the England side more this season with the retirement of Anya Shrubsole and was involved in the recent World Cup and played a part in the Ashes during the winter. A seam bowler with the ability to add handy runs down the order, Davies is a vital part of the Stars’ plans.
Sophia Dunkley has established herself as part of the England team, a middle-order batter who can get things moving; while she hasn’t bowled much for England, her leg spin could be a potent weapon at the regional level.
Ones to watch
Alice Capsey was one of the stand out stars of 2021, winning the PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year, with some commentators suggesting that elevation to the England squad wasn’t far off and went on England A’s tour of Australia. At 17, she is a fearless cricketer who scores runs at a decent rate and takes wickets with her off-spin.
Alexa Stonehouse is a young left-arm bowler who has started to command a regular place in the Stars line-up. Stonehouse bowls a good line and length and has good players around her, and with Farrant also a lefty, she will have a good role model to follow.
Kalea Moore is another youngster who made an impact for her regional side and The Hundred, where she played five games for Northern Superchargers.
Opening fixture: 14 May, Sunrisers, Chelmsford
