Head Coach Craig Cumming can’t wait to bring The Blaze back to Trent Bridge to play in front of a partisan crowd as part of Blast Off against Bears.

“Being part of the double-header in front of home supporters will be great,” said New Zealander Cumming, who is in his first season leading The Blaze.

“We’re all really excited to get back to Trent Bridge after the two games we played there earlier this year.”

Cumming has named a 13-strong squad for the opening game of the 2025 Vitality Blast.

Those two Metro Bank One Day Cup games in West Bridgford saw The Blaze win one and lose one, against Hampshire and Lancashire respectively, and Cumming believes the first block of 50-over action provided plenty to reflect on.

“It’s been a good block of learning and development,” he said.

“We obviously got a good lesson first up in the 50-over competition from Lancashire, but then I was really pleased with the adjustments and the improvements that we made through the course of that.

“The games have been slightly different, with conditions playing a massive part, where we’ve seen flat pitches, fast outfields, and beautiful weather.

“That meant that the style of cricket we needed to play changed a bit from the last few years. I was really pleased with the way we’ve approached games and the way we’ve played since.

“To chase down 305 [against Somerset] just a few days after an amazing game where we and Surrey both scored 346 was testament to the maturity we’ve developed with the bat, and bowling-wise we’ve been fearless on different surfaces.

“I think where we sit in the table is a fair reflection, and I think we’ve made some good improvements. We’re in a good position to press pause, knowing that we’re going to have to keep improving.”

The Blaze have also taken part in the inaugural Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup in recent weeks, reaching Finals Day.

Cumming’s side were again beaten by Lancashire in the last four in Taunton earlier this week, but he believes the chance to competitively tune up in the shortest format was invaluable.

“It was obviously disappointing to get knocked out in the semi-finals. We’ve played Lancashire three times now and we’ve been beaten three times, so a little bit of a bogey team!” he said.

“But it was a nice prelude to what we’re going to come up against in the Vitality Blast, and the standards that we’re going to have to play at.

“Using that experience in a positive way is important. We’ve trained really hard in the last three days to prepare. There will be some ups and downs throughout the competition.

“There will be some good teams playing good cricket, and we’re going to have to show all of our skills in all key areas.”

In particular, Cumming noted that the T20 County Cup provided an ideal opportunity to blood younger members of the squad, marking a key pillar of his vision for the team.

“When you think about us as The Blaze, and the future of our programme, we want to create inspiration for players coming into that,” he explained.

“It was also a good reflection of players that have been doing some great work at the Academy level.

“It was wonderful to have younger members of the squad be part of that, and hopefully they can go back and play the cricket they’re playing to help them grow.

“That’s the way we develop players; it’s not just about the first team. The players that sit below that are really important too, because we create competition, and that raises standards everywhere.”

As attention turns to the visit of Bears to Trent Bridge, who also qualified for Finals Day of the County Cup, Cumming believes they will present a good challenge.

However, he says The Blaze need only focus on their own performances in order to generate the pressure needed to come out with a positive result.

“I watched [Bears] in the other semi-final on Monday, and I was really impressed with their energy,” he said.

“I think they’re going to try and be very proactive and aggressive, and that’s the style of cricket they want to play.

“I thought they looked very, very good in the field, so that’s going to be a good challenge for us to make sure we’re equal to that.

“They’re a very well-coached team, with a lot of experience in their coaching ranks that will be helping them grow.

“It’s a good challenge to have at home. We’re also just focusing on what we’re doing, and what’s important to us.

“Of course, you do your research and your scouting, but for us, we just want to make sure we’re doing what we want to.

“By doing that, we believe we can put them under pressure, so nailing what we’re about is the most important thing for us.”