Date of birth: 28th September 2002 (Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire)
The Blaze List A debut: 2nd July 2023 (Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy v Western Storm | Bristol County Ground)
The Blaze T20 debut: 18th May 2024 (Charlotte Edwards Cup v Southern Vipers | Rose Bowl, Southampton)
Batting: Right-handed
American international and The Hundred champion Ella Claridge forms part of The Blaze’s wicketkeeping ranks, while also providing crucial lower-order runs.
Qualifying to play for the USA by virtue of her Kansas-born mother, Claridge made her international debut in an ODI away to Zimbabwe in October 2024.
She has since gone on to represent America at qualifying tournaments for the ICC T20 World Cup, while combining her international exploits with an English domestic career.
Having graduated from Buckinghamshire’s academy, she joined then-named Lightning in 2021, the same year she was selected for The Hundred for the first time, by Trent Rockets.
It was for Buckinghamshire whom Claridge continued to catch the eye, playing for her home county until 2022 and being named as the side’s leading run-scorer in four separate summers.
She has remained in the East Midlands since, through Lightning’s transition to being known as The Blaze, and in 2026 provided important depth on the way to an unprecedented treble.
A year prior to that, she was also part of the Northern Superchargers (now SunRisers Leeds) side that won The Hundred, alongside Lucy Higham and good friend Grace Ballinger.