Essex Women sign batting prospect Blinkhorn-Jones

Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones reaches 50 for South East Stars against Central Sparks in 2024

Essex have added former South East Stars batter Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones to their squad for the forthcoming county season.

They are among eight fully professional county sides under a revamp of the women's domestic game by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Blinkhorn-Jones demonstrated her potential with an innings of 77 off 80 balls for the Stars against Central Sparks in last summer's 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

The 21-year-old also scored more than 700 runs for Surrey's county side, including two centuries.

Essex Women start their One-Day Cup campaign with a game against Durham at The Riverside on 23 April, and will also take part in the T20 Blast, which begins on 30 May.