Durham has bolstered its women’s cricket squad by securing Mady Villiers, an experienced England offspinner and allrounder, on a three-year contract as they prepare for the launch of the new county competition next year.
Villiers, who has represented England 20 times, was last seen during their tour of Ireland, where her impressive death bowling almost clinched two dramatic victories. In her professional career, she has taken 221 white-ball wickets and scored over 2000 runs, including eight half-centuries. A key player for the Oval Invincibles in the Women’s Hundred, she played a vital role in helping the team win back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.
Her move to Durham is a significant acquisition for the club, which will take over from Northern Diamonds as the North-East’s regional representative in women’s domestic cricket. Yorkshire is set to ascend to Tier 1 in 2026, but Durham will fill that role in the interim.
Though a product of Essex’s cricketing pathway, Villiers has chosen to leave her home county, which will also gain Tier 1 status in 2025 after taking over from Sunrisers, the recent winners of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. At Durham, Villiers will be under the leadership of her England teammate, Hollie Armitage.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the move, Villiers said she was eager to join Durham ahead of the 2025 season. She noted how impressed she was with the club’s vision and ambition, stating it was something she wanted to be a part of. She praised the talent within the squad and shared her excitement about playing under Armitage’s captaincy, saying she was confident that moving to the North-East was the right decision.
Leaving Essex after playing there her entire career wasn’t easy, Villiers admitted, but the strong sense of potential she saw in Durham’s future made the decision worthwhile. She looks forward to contributing to the team’s growth in the coming years.
Marcus North, Durham’s Director of Cricket, expressed excitement about the signing, noting how valuable it was for the squad and the region to bring in an England international like Villiers. North praised her performances for Sunrisers and Oval Invincibles and is eager to see her continue excelling with both bat and ball for Durham. He also added that the move could help Villiers earn more England caps while thriving in her new environment.