It’s the women’s cricket equivalent of Arsene Wenger v Alex Ferguson: Charlotte Edwards (coach of Southern Vipers) against Dani Hazell (coach of Northern Diamonds). Since the new women’s regional structure was introduced in 2020, the pair – former England teammates – have faced off in all three 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy finals. Before Sunday, the record read 2-1 to Edwards, though it was Hazell who triumphed on the most recent occasion, at Lord’s in September 2022.
The 2023 Women’s Hundred final may have been between two nominally different teams – the Diamonds are branded as Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, while the Vipers play as Southern Brave – but with Edwards and Hazell at the helm, and Lord’s once again the venue, there was nonetheless a certain spice of old-timer rivalry in the air.
