Essex Women suffered their heaviest defeat of the 2026 Women's Vitality Blast on June 28, bowled out for 136 and beaten by 9 wickets by The Blaze at their own Chelmsford ground. Three days later, on July 5, they host Surrey Women in Match 40 at the same venue. Surrey, meanwhile, won a tight away match at Taunton, beating Somerset by 2 wickets with 4 balls spare on June 28 to keep themselves firmly in the top four. The form picture going into this match has shifted significantly in Surrey's favour since the tied match between these sides in June. These Essex Women vs Surrey Women fantasy tips and Essex Women vs Surrey Women match analysis cover both teams' latest results, the key fantasy picks, and the Dream11 prediction for Match 40.
Match 40 at Chelmsford: What You Need to Know
Fixture: Essex Women vs Surrey Women, Match 40, Women's Vitality Blast 2026. Venue: Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026. Time: 10:30 AM GMT / 11:30 AM local / 4:00 PM IST, per the series schedule. Context: This is the Essex Women vs Surrey Women Women's T20 Blast 2026 reverse fixture after their tied match at the Kia Oval on June 5.
Latest Form: What June 28 Changed
Both teams played on June 28, and the results significantly update the form picture for this match.
Essex lost to The Blaze by 9 wickets at Chelmsford: Essex posted only 136 for 9 in 20 overs. The Blaze chased 137 with 25 balls to spare and lost just one wicket. This was Essex's heaviest defeat of the season and their second consecutive home loss.
Surrey beat Somerset by 2 wickets at Taunton: Somerset posted 148 for 6. Surrey chased it down in 19.2 overs, losing 8 wickets in a tight finish. Surrey won with 4 balls to spare. The result confirmed Surrey's ability to win matches away from home under pressure.
Before June 28, these two sides were level on wins and tied in their head-to-head meeting. After June 28, Surrey goes into Match 40 with more momentum, more confidence in their chase ability, and facing an Essex side that collapsed at home against The Blaze. The Essex Women vs Surrey Women prediction has shifted toward Surrey as a result.
Essex Women's 2026 Campaign in Full
Essex has had a mixed season with wins in the first half and a difficult run recently. Their full campaign:
Comparison
The June 28 defeat to The Blaze at Chelmsford is Essex's worst result of the season. Posting 136 for 9 at home suggests the batting lineup, without Cordelia Griffith (still recovering from her leg injury) and Abtaha Maqsood (Scotland T20 World Cup), has significant depth issues. Grace Scrivens has been exceptional all season with bat and ball. Lissy Macleod has scored two fifties. But when both fail in the same innings, as they may have against The Blaze, the lower order cannot compensate.
Surrey Women's 2026 Campaign in Full
Surrey has been one of the most consistent sides in Tier 1 despite losing five players to the T20 World Cup. Their June 28 win at Taunton against Somerset is the most recent confirmation of a squad that wins away matches in pressure finishes. Bryony Smith scored 71 off 35 balls in the opening match against Lancashire. Alice Davidson-Richards has been the middle-order anchor with an unbeaten 47 against Lancashire. Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Kalea Moore led a bowling attack that restricted Somerset to 148 at Taunton, then successfully defended that position as the chasing side. Surrey's ability to win tight matches is the most important quality heading into a Chelmsford fixture where the surface is flat, and the match is likely to be close.
Essex Women vs Surrey Women Match Analysis
The Essex Women vs Surrey Women match analysis for Match 40 points to Surrey as the team with the stronger current form and the deeper squad depth at this point in the season. Three factors shape this assessment:
Essex's batting fragility without Griffith and Maqsood: 136 for 9 against The Blaze confirmed that the batting lineup without its two most important missing players cannot consistently post totals above 150 at Chelmsford. Surrey's bowling attack of MacDonald-Gay and Moore is more consistent than The Blaze's seam options.
Surrey's chase confidence: Winning a chase of 149 at Taunton by 2 wickets with 4 balls spare, in a ground that Somerset knows better than any visiting side, confirms Surrey's lower order can finish matches under pressure. Davidson-Richards and the lower-middle order have the experience to reach targets under 160.
Scrivens as the match-defining variable: If Grace Scrivens bats well and bowls well in the same match, as she did against Surrey in the tied game (85 not out), Essex can beat any team. The question is whether she can produce a 7.5 out of 10 performance in both departments simultaneously again.
Essex Women vs Surrey Women Dream11 Prediction
These are the Essex Women vs Surrey Women Dream11 prediction picks for Match 40 at Chelmsford, built around the latest form data and the Chelmsford conditions.
Dream11 Team 1: Surrey-Weighted
Wicketkeeper: Jemima Spence (SUR). Batters: Bryony Smith (SUR), Alice Davidson-Richards (SUR), Lissy Macleod (ESS). All-rounders: Grace Scrivens (ESS) (c), Laura Harris (SUR), Jodi Grewcock (ESS). Bowlers: Ryana MacDonald-Gay (SUR), Kalea Moore (SUR), Eva Gray (ESS), Esmae MacGregor (ESS). Captain: Grace Scrivens. Vice-Captain: Ryana MacDonald-Gay.
Dream11 Team 2: Balanced Pick
Wicketkeeper: Jemima Spence (SUR). Batters: Bryony Smith (SUR), Lissy Macleod (ESS), Phoebe Franklin (SUR). All-rounders: Grace Scrivens (ESS), Alice Davidson-Richards (SUR), Lauren Winfield-Hill (ESS). Bowlers: Ryana MacDonald-Gay (SUR), Kalea Moore (SUR), Esmae MacGregor (ESS), Eva Gray (ESS). Captain: Bryony Smith. Vice-Captain: Grace Scrivens.
Final Prediction and Top FairPlay Picks
Surrey Women to win Match 40 at Chelmsford is the final Essex Women vs Surrey Women prediction. Surrey arrives with better recent form, confidence from the Taunton win, and a bowling attack that has proven more consistent than any team Essex has faced this season apart from Hampshire's Wellington. Essex's only route to a win runs through a dominant Scrivens performance. The three FairPlay picks: Surrey to win, Grace Scrivens top performer regardless of result, Ryana MacDonald-Gay top bowler.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Betting involves financial risk. Only bet with money you can afford to lose. FairPlay is strictly 18 plus. Please check local regulations.