Grace Ballinger reflected with pride on her role as part of Northern Superchargers' title-winning team in The Hundred, and admitted her excitement at a return to Blaze colours this week. 

Third in the table with four games remaining, The Blaze welcome Surrey, who sit just behind in fourth, for their first fixture since the conclusion of The Hundred.

Fresh from helping Northern Superchargers to glory, alongside Blaze teammates Lucy Higham and Ella Claridge, Ballinger looked back on the campaign.

“Yeah, it was brilliant," she said.

"It was a really good group of girls up there and it was my third year with the Superchargers.

"We lost a final couple of years ago to Southern Brave, so to be able to go back out there and put in a good performance was really special.

"It was a pretty decent tournament for myself and especially for the team. So it's just made me hungry for another trophy, really.”

With 11 wickets to her name, eight in the groups and three in the knockout stages, Ballinger enjoyed her most prolific Hundred campaign yet, building on her experiences from the past two years.

“I'm really pleased," she said of her return.

"I think I bowled pretty well in all three stages of the game, and I managed to prove myself as a bowler in more phases than I've previously thought of in the past.

“It was a great group to be around. There was a lot of experience for me to tap into with like the likes of Kate Cross and Annabelle Sutherland being the fellow seamers.

"It was just a really good bowling attack and I was really pleased with how it went.”

Now back for The Blaze, attention turns to a different kind of challenge, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

“It’s a different mindset, it's a different tempo.You’re going from what, as girls play, the quickest tempo to the slowest tempo,” Ballinger explained. 

“For me, I keep things pretty simple. As a bowler, I'm just trying to keep the stumps in play or bowl a good line and length.

"So, it probably changes less for me than for batters, who just have to totally adjust the tempo they're playing at.

"But I'm looking forward to it. There are a big few games ahead and we've had a good few days today switching back into that tempo ahead of Thursday.

“I think we've been historically pretty successful in 50-over cricket and T20 cricket. We've got a nice, well-balanced side."

"We've obviously got a very strong top order and, and well led by Kirstie (as well, who's an excellent leader on and off the pitch and her experience at making key decisions has halped us be pretty successful for us over the last couple years.”

Surrey secured domestic silverware earlier this summer by claiming the Vitality Blast title, and following a memorable 50-over clash in May, Ballinger is expecting a stern test once more. 

“Yeah, they're a good side, probably not reflected in where they are in the table, but when we played them away, there was almost 700 runs scored. It was a really competitive fixture that somehow ended in a tie," she said.

"Obviously they'll be without their England players, but they've just got such a good depth in their squad and are coming off the back of winning the Vitality Blast as well.

"It’ll definitely be a challenge, but I'm really excited to be back calling Trent Bridge home again and to start our campaign back off here will be really nice.”

The Blaze vs Surrey | Thursday 4 September, 10.30am | Follow live from 11am here.