Charlotte Edwards Cup: Storm welcome first Glamorgan double-header

Welsh all-rounder Alex Griffiths hits out in the green colours of regional side Western Storm

Western Storm play their first Cardiff double-header with a Glamorgan match, as they welcome The Blaze in the final group game of the Charlotte Edwards Cup on Wednesday.

The women's side representing the west of England and Wales have already played double-headers with Somerset at Taunton and Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Western Storm have previously staged stand-alone games at Sophia Gardens.

2023 has seen growing links between women's sides and men's counties.

Storm beat Manchester-based Thunder in Cardiff in the 50-overs Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in April, thanks to a century from Irish international Orla Prendergast, while they were defeated by Central Sparks in the 20-overs format in August 2022.

The women in green beat Central Sparks by seven wickets in their most recent outing, preceding a Gloucestershire match in Bristol, despite being without England captain Heather Knight.

• Skelton sees 'huge' change since going full-time

The squad, captained by Sophie Luff, includes Welsh all-rounder Alex Griffiths, and bowlers Sophia Smale and Claire Nicholas.

"It's brilliant in Taunton, everyone's so welcoming and it's a great atmosphere with a good crowd, so hopefully we can try and get the same in Cardiff, it would be fantastic," said Griffiths after a game at Somerset's headquarters.

"I think it's a really good thing for our game at the minute playing double-headers, considering we're doing it in the Hundred as well

"It could be the way forward for us to get our names out there, our clubs and competitions. Hopefully we'll have our own (match-days) in future but it's a good step in the right direction."

But Smale is hoping the women's and men's fixtures can be reversed in future years.

"We could still look to have the women on later, it might be better, I had one game in the Hundred where the women's game was in a later slot on and it does encourage more people to come. But it's nice to get more integration with the men's squad," she told BBC Sport Wales.

"Hopefully we'll put in a good performance in Cardiff, there'll be quite a few people close to me there and hopefully I can play well on my home ground, the best of the three (Storm) home grounds for me!"

The Blaze, who cover the East Midlands, have won all six games and are already guaranteed a place in the final at Worcester on Saturday, 10 June.

Western Storm have three wins from six and have only an outside chance of claiming a place in the eliminator between the second and third-placed teams, needing a big win and other results to go their way.

"It's great to have Western Storm playing a double-header with Glamorgan, we've got some experience of double-headers with Welsh Fire and they've been great, so we're excited for this," said Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace.

"The weather's set fair, hopefully a good crowd from those who aren't going to Coldplay (at the Principality Stadium) can come and watch some really good male and female cricket at Sophia Gardens."

Hundred hopes

While Smale is thought likely to return to the Oval Invincibles side where she picked up a Hundred winner's medal in 2022, Griffiths and Nicholas return to the Cardiff-based Welsh Fire franchise, who aim to improve on a record of three wins from 14 games to date.

Griffiths is hoping for more exposure in the Welsh Fire side after regular appearances in 2021 but failing to make the starting eleven last year.

"I just want to get out there, start a couple of games and get a few wins under our belt considering the new team. We're looking strong and I'm excited to get going," she said.