COVERED 2024 Winter

“WE FELT WE COULD JUST COME BACK AND ENJOY OUR CRICKET A BIT MORE. WE’D HAD SO MUCH PRESSURE ON US THAT IT WAS NICE TO HAVE THAT TAKEN AWAY AND WE JUST RELAXED A BIT.” Kathryn Bryce to take up the same role with England Women U19s after leading The Blaze to three successive finals. However, with the majority of the squad being retained for 2025 – as well as the additions of Georgia Elwiss, Charley Phillips, AmyWheeler, PrishaThanawala and Liv Baker – there is cause for opti- mism in camp. “Guesty really built our team in the last three years and he’s been the foundation of our success this year,” Bryce says. “Hopefully we as players and the coaches have absorbed all that he’s taught us and can take that into the coming seasons. “The environment that we’ve built in this programme – the fact that so many players want to stay and be a part of it going forwards – says it all and we’re all so excited for what the future has in store.” The future includes a structural over- haul, with the regional system evolving into a county-led approach. It meansThe Blaze will continue to call Trent Bridge home, with seven other counties also grantedTier 1 status. 31 @TRENTBRIDGE KATHRYN BRYCE