Surrey Women arrive at Chelmsford as the defending Vitality Blast champions and the side sitting top of Tier 1 in 2026. Essex Women sit third and are having a much stronger season than their 2025 campaign, where they finished seventh. These two sides played a gripping tied match at the Kia Oval earlier this season on June 5. Both needed the last ball of the chase to settle it, and neither got the win. Now Essex gets to host Surrey at their home ground, the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground in Chelmsford, on July 5. This Essex Women vs Surrey Women fantasy tips guide covers both teams' form, the top fantasy players to pick, the Dream11 prediction, and the women's cricket analysis you need for Match 40.
When and Where Is This Match?
Match: Essex Women vs Surrey Women, Match 40, Women's Vitality Blast 2026. Venue: Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford, Essex. Date and Time: July 5, 2026, at 10:30 AM GMT and 4:00 PM IST. Tournament: Women's Vitality Blast 2026 Tier 1. This is a morning start match, earlier than most Tier 1 fixtures.
Surrey Women: Defending Champions in Strong Form
Surrey won the first-ever Women's Vitality Blast title in 2025, beating Warwickshire Bears in the final with Grace Harris scoring 63 not out. They began the 2026 defence in the same confident style and currently sit top of Tier 1 with four wins from five matches. Captain Bryony Smith leads a squad that still carries most of the players who won the title. Alice Davidson-Richards and Jemima Spence have scored vital runs in the middle order. Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Kalea Moore have been the most consistent bowlers, with MacDonald-Gay taking 15 wickets to finish as Surrey's leading wicket-taker in 2025.
In the tied match against Essex on June 5, Surrey posted 159 for 5. The innings was built on a stunning late partnership where Phoebe Franklin scored 48 not out, and Kira Chathli scored 44 not out, the two adding 72 runs in just 35 deliveries to lift Surrey from a difficult position. Essex needed 94 from 10 overs in a rain-reduced chase and came agonisingly close, with Jo Gardner run out attempting a second run off the final ball. That match shows exactly how close these two sides are, and playing the rematch at Chelmsford gives Essex the home advantage they did not have in June.
Essex Women: Rising Through the Table in 2026
Essex finished seventh in Tier 1 last season with just four wins from fourteen matches. The 2026 season has been a completely different story. They sit third in the table with wins over Lancashire, Warwickshire, and others, a tied match against Surrey, and a loss to Hampshire. Captain Grace Scrivens has been outstanding with the ball, taking 3 for 23 against Lancashire when she restricted them to 128. Lissy Macleod earned Player of the Match with an unbeaten 54 in that chase. Lauren Winfield-Hill, playing her first Tier 1 season with Essex after leaving Yorkshire, scored 49 off 27 balls against Surrey in the tied match and was the batter who nearly won it.
One concern for Essex going into this match is the fitness of Cordelia Griffith, who was stretchered off during a fielding incident against Lancashire. Her availability for July 5 is not confirmed. Eva Gray impressed against Surrey at the Kia Oval, taking 2 for 18 against her former side and showing she can exploit the Surrey batting lineup. Jodi Grewcock has contributed important runs in the middle order. Essex's batting depth has improved significantly from 2025, and playing at Chelmsford in front of their home crowd gives them a genuine edge against a Surrey side that has been playing away games in the July phase.
Women's Cricket Analysis: What Decides This Match
The women's cricket analysis for this match points to three factors that will likely decide who wins Match 40 at Chelmsford.
Factor 1, Who wins the powerplay: Surrey's ability to build partnerships in the first six overs is their defining quality. In the June 5 match, Essex kept Surrey to 45 for 4 in the powerplay with tight bowling from Gray and Scrivens. If Essex can repeat that powerplay restriction at Chelmsford, they will limit Surrey's total significantly. If Surrey's top order bats through the powerplay at Chelmsford, they have the depth to post 160 plus.
Factor 2, Lauren Winfield-Hill at the top: Winfield-Hill's 49 off 27 balls in the June 5 chase nearly won Essex the match on the last ball. She is the batter most likely to chase down any total Surrey sets. If she gets going in the first six overs at Chelmsford, Essex's chase becomes straightforward. If MacDonald-Gay or Moore removes her from the power play, Essex needs someone else to step up.
Factor 3, Chelmsford pitch and home advantage: Essex has called Chelmsford home for their county cricket for decades. The surface at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground in July suits batting with good carry. Playing at home in front of their own crowd, with the momentum of their improved 2026 form, gives Essex a factor that the table position alone does not fully capture.
Essex Women vs Surrey Women Dream11 Prediction
Here are the two Essex Women vs Surrey Women Dream11 prediction teams for your fantasy cricket team selection teams built around the Chelmsford conditions and current form data.
Dream11 Team 1: Essex-Weighted Pick
Wicketkeeper: Jemima Spence (SUR). Batters: Lauren Winfield-Hill (ESS), Lissy Macleod (ESS), Alice Davidson-Richards (SUR). All-rounders: Grace Scrivens (ESS), Bryony Smith (SUR), Jo Gardner (ESS). Bowlers: Ryana MacDonald-Gay (SUR), Eva Gray (ESS), Kalea Moore (SUR), Phoebe Franklin (SUR). Captain: Lauren Winfield-Hill. Vice-Captain: Ryana MacDonald-Gay.
Dream11 Team 2: Surrey-Weighted Pick
Wicketkeeper: Jemima Spence (SUR). Batters: Lauren Winfield-Hill (ESS), Phoebe Franklin (SUR), Alice Davidson-Richards (SUR). All-rounders: Bryony Smith (SUR), Grace Scrivens (ESS), Kira Chathli (SUR). Bowlers: Ryana MacDonald-Gay (SUR), Eva Gray (ESS), Kalea Moore (SUR), Jo Gardner (ESS). Captain: Ryana MacDonald-Gay. Vice-Captain: Lauren Winfield-Hill.
Top Fantasy Players for This Match
These are the top fantasy players for the Essex Women vs Surrey Women Match 40, ranked by their current form and the Chelmsford conditions.
1. Lauren Winfield-Hill (ESS): 49 off 27 balls in the tied match against Surrey. The most in-form batter in this fixture, based on head-to-head data. Top captain pick.
2. Ryana MacDonald-Gay (SUR): Surrey's most consistent bowler throughout 2025 and 2026. 15 wickets in 2025, on course for a similar return in 2026. Top vice-captain pick.
3. Grace Scrivens (ESS): Took 3 for 23 vs Lancashire and leads Essex's bowling attack as captain. A genuine all-round threat with bat and ball.
4. Phoebe Franklin (SUR): Scored 48 not out in the tied match, adding 72 in 35 balls alongside Chathli. A power-hitting finisher who could be the difference in a close total.
5. Eva Gray (ESS): Took 2 for 18 against Surrey at the Kia Oval in their previous meeting. Her knowledge of the Surrey batting lineup from her time as a Surrey player adds a tactical edge.
6. Lissy Macleod (ESS): Unbeaten 54 against Lancashire, earning the Player of the Match. A batter who plays with composure and can build an innings that anchors the chase.
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Final Match Prediction and Top Picks
Essex Women to win at home is the prediction. Surrey is the stronger team overall and the defending champion, but Essex playing at Chelmsford with Winfield-Hill in this form and Gray knowing the Surrey lineup gives them a genuine edge. The previous tied match at the Kia Oval showed these sides are evenly matched. At Chelmsford, the home factor tips it toward Essex. The three top Essex Women vs Surrey Women fantasy tips picks: Lauren Winfield-Hill as captain, Ryana MacDonald-Gay as vice-captain, and Grace Scrivens as the third-priority pick.
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