Josie Groves departs The Blaze for Lancashire on permanent deal

Leg-spinner Josie Groves has departed The Blaze with immediate effect, with the club mutually agreeing to end her contract so she could complete a permanent move to Lancashire. The transfer closes a chapter that began when Groves came through the Lightning Academy before the side rebranded and relocated its identity to Trent Bridge as The Blaze.

Groves, born September 5, 2004, is a right-handed batter and right-arm leg-break bowler who signed her first professional contract with Lightning in February 2023. She later committed to a four-year extension ahead of the domestic restructure. Over the four seasons that followed, she featured in 63 matches for the club and took 58 wickets, building a reputation as a reliable spin option across formats.

“I’ve had an amazing time with Lightning and The Blaze. While I feel this is the right time in my career for me to move on, the club and the people here have taught me so much about myself, and I’ve loved every second on and off the pitch,” said Groves as quoted by The Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.

Why did Josie Groves leave The Blaze?

No formal reason for the exit has been made public beyond Groves signalling that the moment felt right for her own development. The club facilitated the move by releasing her from her contract with immediate effect, allowing the Lancashire signing to be confirmed without delay.

Her four seasons at Trent Bridge coincided with a sustained run of silverware. The Blaze won the Charlotte Edwards Cup in 2024, then added three more titles in 2026, the Blast, the T20 Women’s County Cup and the One Day Cup.

“This group is really special, and winning the treble was a great way to finish off my time at Trent Bridge,” said Groves.

What did The Blaze say about Groves moving to Lancashire?

Blaze head coach Craig Cumming offered his assessment of Groves’s contribution before wishing her well at her new county.

“I’d like to thank Josie for her contributions for Lightning and The Blaze. She can be proud to have played her part as The Blaze have established themselves as a consistent force across formats. We are currently fortunate to enjoy a huge amount of strength in depth in all areas of the team, so we wish Josie all the best as she takes up an opportunity at Lancashire,” said Cummings.

Cumming’s remarks made clear that the club views its current squad as deep enough to absorb the exit without disruption. Groves now heads to Lancashire, where she will look to build on the experience gathered across four trophy-winning seasons and continue her growth as a leg-spinner at the next stage of her domestic career.