The Blaze have entered a partnership with The 1 to unearth the next number one female all-rounder, with the new regional East Midlands team supporting and hosting the third edition of the competition in 2023.
Modeled on the NFL Combine, in which athletes are put through a series of tests, The 1 challenges contestants on the three disciplines of cricket – bowling, batting and fielding. The cricketer to score the highest across all three disciplines will be crowned the winner.
So far, more than 250 girls aged 12-18 from across the UK have entered, with two exceptional talents named as champions.
This year's competition will see the final take place at one of England’s most iconic cricketing venues, Trent Bridge.
It’ll also be run in conjunction with The Blaze, who play host to a plethora of star-studded all-rounders, including Nat Sciver-Brunt and Nadine de Klerk.
“We are very excited to be partnering with The 1 this year,” The Blaze’s Head Coach, Chris Guest, said.
“The competition has already proven to be a huge success and has discovered some potential stars of the future, so we’re very much looking forward to seeing the talent that will no doubt be on display on the day.
“The 1 is a fantastic opportunity for young female cricketers to showcase their skills, creating pathways and helping to grow female cricket across the UK.”
The 1 was created by England cricket legend Lydia Greenway and is delivered through her Girls Cricket Club platform, which was built to share knowledge, resources, inspiration and opportunities.
Greenway designed the scenario-based challenges to test contestants’ athleticism, skill and ability to handle the sort of high-stakes pressure you might experience at the top level of the game.