From the 2022 Lightning squad that won just three of 12 completed fixtures emerged this year, a rejuvenated, revitalised and re-branded Blaze side are ready to flourish on the English women’s domestic cricket scene, writes Ben Evans

Despite falling short in the Charlotte Edwards Cup final, there can be no doubt that The Blaze are emerging as one of the dominant forces in regional women’s domestic cricket, having risen from the second-worst performing T20 side in 2022 to runners-up in 2023. On the surface, it would be easy to attribute The Blaze’s newfound success to the acquisition of Engla...