Although the ECB received a massive 27 “Expressions of Interest” in acquiring one of the 6 teams which will participate in next summer’s inaugural Women’s Cricket Super League, it has been suggested that they may struggle to translate these into actual bids when the deadline comes around at the end of this year.

Almost all of the submitted Expressions of Interest were led by existing First Class counties, who are the only ones with access to the one thing you need above all else to host a team: a ground!

(Notwithstanding the fact that educational institutions have been repeatedly posited as potential hosts, Clare Connor made it clear at the launch event that even Loughborough’s ground would not meet the required standards!)

Clearly then, the counties hold the keys to the kingdom – they have the grounds; not to mention the coaches, the indoor schools… and the actual experience of running a professional cricket team, which should not be underestimated!

However, the word around the game reveals a worrying picture of cold feet at county board level, echoing what Lizzy Ammon has written here:

“Privately some county chief executives have said to me that they are concerned about the realities of being a host team.”

Unsurprisingly, when you start to dig a little bit deeper, a lot of this seems to come down to money. With a couple of notable exceptions, the First Class counties aren’t exactly swimming in it, and Super League looks at best like a break-even exercise.

Yes, the ECB have talked big money… and to be fair, it is a lot more than the women’s county sides currently get… but it still isn’t lottery winnings, by the time you’ve annualised it and divided it around 6 teams. Back of an envelope calculations carried out by CRICKETher suggest that the Aussies are investing almost twice as much in WBBL.

Super League is also a risk, the kind of which the counties feel very nervous about pursuing in the current climate; with the suggestion being that if they could be sure they’d break even, they might go ahead; but given the impact even a fairly small loss could make upon their overall bottom lines, there are serious concerns.

None of this is insurmountable of course; and the likelihood has to be that with 27 frogs to kiss, the ECB will still find their 6 princes… but they just might have to sign a couple of pre-nups first!

In what must have been pretty-much her last act as England Academy coach, Lisa Keightley has culled almost a quarter of last year’s class in announcing this year’s expanded intake.

Sonia Odedra, Carla Rudd and Paige Scholfield have all been dropped; and whilst the door has been left open for Georgia Hennessy, she has also not been included at this time.

For 27-year-old Odedra, who was technically in the full ‘Performance’ squad and who has been part of the Academy setup since 2009, this looks likely to close the door on her England career. She may have only a single Test cap to her name; but it is one more Test cap than most of the rest of us will ever have, and it is something that she should remember with pride as she moves on.

Rudd and Scholfield have both been victims of other’s successes rather than their own failures – namely budding Lancashire glove butler Ellie Threlkeld and Middlesex tonker Sophia Dunkley. However, both Rudd and Scholfield should keep heart and look to the opportunities that next year’s new Super League will provide to get their cricketing careers back on track.

Warwickshire’s Hennessy is also not named in the current squad, after dropping out of the Academy program this summer with personal issues. However, an ECB source has told CRICKETher that the way is open for a possible return in future.

Finally, one other person not returning this winter is Academy Head Coach Lisa Keightley herself, who is going back to her native Australia to take up a job with the Western Australia Cricket Association in Perth.

England Academy – Winter 2015/16:

• Georgia Adams (Sussex)
• Hollie Armitage (Yorkshire)
• Ellen Burt (Sussex)
• Stephanie Butler (Staffordshire)
• Freya Davies (Sussex)
• Sophia Dunkley (Middlesex)
• Sophie Ecclestone (Cheshire / Lancashire)
• Katie George (Hampshire)
• Alex Hartley (Middlesex)
• Evelyn Jones (Staffordshire)
• Emma Lamb (Lancashire)
• Sophie Luff (Somerset)
• Alex MacDonald (Yorkshire)
• Bryony Smith (Surrey)
• Eleanor Threlkeld (Lancashire)

A huge hundred from Sophie Luff provided the platform for Bath to put an under-strength Meakins team to the sword in the national club final on Sunday.

Both Bath and Meakins had won their semi-finals convincingly the previous day – against New Farnley and Newport respectively – but Bath ultimately proved far too strong for their opponents in the final, as they finished the weekend with a 235-run victory.

On a beautiful late summer’s day at Kibworth in rural Leicestershire, Luff entered the fray early after Izzy Westbury was caught at slip in the first over. It was as close as Meakins got to being on top all game, though, as Luff – who finished on 152* – quite literally ran them ragged, calling the singles like a drill sergeant on the parade ground.

Anya Shrubsole also contributed a strongly-struck 46 before being hit on the sharp of the elbow by a throw in from the outfield – a quick trip to the local A&E thankfully revealed nothing broken; but she played no further part in the match.

In the end though, Bath – having amassed a mammoth 307-4 across their 50 overs – barely missed her, as Izzy Westbury took 6-7, with only Eve Jones (30) offering much in the way of resistance as Bath powered to the title, bowling Meakins out for 72.

However, there was no shame in defeat for a Meakins side with an average age of just 16, as injuries and unavailabilities took their toll – forcing them to field a number of fledglings.

Sunday’s effort was Luff’s third century in four innings, and Bath captain Jackie Hawker, speaking to CRICKETher after the game, was full of praise for her performances this season:

“She’s been absolutely fantastic. We couldn’t get a better number 3 for Bath. She’s just such a great player – an inspiration.”

The 2015 Division 1 County Championship batting and bowling stats have quite different looks to them, with the 3 top batsmen all members of the England squad, whilst the 3 leading bowlers are all outside the England setup.

Bowling

Veteran Surrey leg-spinner Sarah Clarke had the season of her (long) career to lead the field in the Women’s County Championship with 23 wickets. Along the way, she also notched up two remarkable centuries – passing 100 appearances for the London side and 100 county wickets. Oh… and she also became one of the first women ever to be awarded a county cap by Surrey!

The other leading wicket-takers were also both spinners: Katie Levick (another leggie) with 20 wickets, including 2 “5-fers”, was a big part of why Yorkshire won the championship; whilst Holly Colvin, who is just trying to enjoy her cricket away from the international spotlight these days, took 18 wickets in the 50 over format.

Meanwhile, the most economical bowlers this season (minimum 30 overs) were Katherine Brunt (2.2 runs / over) and Danni Wyatt (2.5 r/o) – the latter with a Championship-leading “maiden rate” of 34%.

Batting

For the second time in 3 years, Berkshire skipper Heather Knight was the County Championship’s highest run-scorer with 305, over half of which came in her final innings of the season – her mammoth 162* v Sussex.

Second in the list of run-scorers… but only just… was Middlesex’s Fran Wilson with 301. Wilson made the move from 2nd Division Somerset only this season and has flourished in the top tier with a highest score of 110, as she pushes to regain her England place.

Third in the batting lists was Yorkshire’s Lauren Winfield. Despite only playing in half their games, she smashed 270 runs at an average of… 270, thanks to 3 Not-Outs.

Two other players also deserving of mention are Middlesex’s Beth Morgan and Berkshire’s Lissy Macleod. Morgan is supposed (!) to be moving towards retirement, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped her hitting 243 runs in the 50-over format this season, putting her 4th on the list of run-scorers; whilst Macleod was the only other player to hit a Championship century this season, with 107 v Middlesex.

The ECB has confirmed to CRICKETher that despite England’s recent drubbing by Australia in the Ashes series, all of the current 18 professional contracts – which were due to expire in October – have been extended by 3 months.

When the contracts were originally announced in May last year, they were scheduled to run until October 2015. However, in order to bring them into line with the ECB’s financial year, the end-date has now been pushed back until the end of January 2016.

Players will be informed of any change to their status by the beginning of November, allowing them 3 months to prepare for the consequences, which in some cases could be calamitous. Unlike the men, there is really no option for the women to “parachute” back into county cricket; and although next year’s Women’s Cricket Super League will pay match fees, they won’t by any stretch of the imagination be a “living wage”.

The formal player performance review process is therefore set to be completed over the next few weeks, with the players being informed of their fate towards the end of October and official announcements forthcoming thereafter.

Will there be any changes?

Two contracted players – Tammy Beaumont and Tash Farrant – played no part whatsoever in this summer’s Women’s Ashes. 19-year-old Farrant, though, is clearly seen as “one for the future”, whilst Tammy Beaumont has had an increasing role in mentoring younger players, both as Academy captain and in a coaching role with the age-group “development” squads; so the likelihood has to be that both will be retained.

However, the ECB has always made it clear that 18 isn’t a magic number, so there could well be additions to the squad. The most obvious candidate is Fran Wilson, who has had a very good domestic season for Middlesex and was selected for (but didn’t actually play in) the Ashes Test.

When the ECB announced the names of the England players who were heading off to the Women’s Big Bash in Australia this winter, one name was conspicuous by its absence.

Nat Sciver was one of England’s few stars of the recent Women’s Ashes series, taking 9 wickets and scoring 175 runs; with Man of the Match-winning performances in the first ODI at Taunton, where she scored 66, and the final T20 in Cardiff, where she scored 47 and took 4 wickets.

So it was a big surprise to see Sciver’s name missing from the list of 7 England players who had landed WBBL contracts – Charlotte Edwards, Heather Knight, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor and Danni Wyatt.

However, sources close to Sciver have confirmed to CRICKETher that she is still hoping to play in the inaugural WBBL, which begins in December. Discussions are said to be “ongoing” but everyone is optimistic that the i’s will be (Deandra) Dottined and t’s (Kate) Crossed very soon – in short… watch this space!

Clubs from the four corners of England and Wales will contest the National Finals at Kibworth Cricket Club in Leicestershire this weekend. (Directions here – at the bottom!)

The four regional division winners – Bath, Meakin’s, Newport and New Farnley – will play semi-finals and a final to determine who will succeed last year’s winners – Wokingham – as National Champions 2015.

Bath (Winners – Southern League)

Twitter: @BathCricket

Star Player: Hard-running batsman Sophie Luff has already hit two centuries this year… another at Kibworth would be no surprise for the former England girls captain.

Meakin’s (Winners – Midlands League)

Twitter: @JGMeakinsWomen

Star Player: After a successful winter for England Academy, Eve Jones has had another strong domestic season in 2015, averaging 46, including 2 50s.

Newport (Winners – South Western League)

Twitter: @NewportCricketC

Star Player: Captain and opening batsman Lauren Parfitt has led from the front this season – the Welsh star averages 67 with a highest score of 112.

New Farnley (Winners – Northern League)

Twitter: @FarnleyLadiesCC

Star Player: England Academy all-rounder Alex Macdonald has taken 13 wickets (including a 6-fer) and hit 366 runs in 2015.

In a season which went down to the last day, Yorkshire emerged triumphant – adding the Women’s County Championship to the men’s title which they retained last week, to leave their fans seeing double in the trophy cabinet.

With top-of-the-table Kent sitting out of the final round of the 9-team championship, Yorkshire knew exactly what they had to do going into the day: beat local rivals Lancashire, taking least 7 of the 8 available bonus points.

Although they were already relegated, having lost every game so far, this was still a match Lancashire desperately wanted to win.

After winning the toss, Lancashire elected to bat, but with Katherine Brunt opening the bowling alongside leg-spinner Katie Levick it was a decision they were soon regretting as they collapsed to 11/5. A recovery of sorts followed as Lancashire limped to a final total of 113 all out, with Levick the star of the show, taking 6 wickets for 25 runs.

This left the Yorkies with a whopping 38 overs to make just 114 to bag the bonus points they required to overhaul Kent and snatch the silverware. In the end it was all too easy, as captain Lauren Winfield (65*) led the way with the bat, making her 3rd 50 of the campaign, leaving her averaging over 250 in championship cricket this season, and taking Yorkshire to their second men’s/ women’s double, having previously achieved the feat in 2001.

Meanwhile, Dani Wyatt hit 76 as Notts romped to victory over Surrey; but wasn’t quite enough to save the Outlaws’ season – after a string of mid-season defeats left them struggling, they will be joining Lancashire in Division 2 next season.

England vice-captain Heather Knight carried her bat for a colossal 162* as Berkshire posted 265/9 before a Daisy Gardner hat-trick ripped up the Sussex top order, with the south coast side eventually subsiding to defeat by 72 runs.

Knight’s innings was the highest score of the season by some margin in the top tier of this year’s Women’s County Championship, and was the kind of dominating performance you would expect from a batsman who, despite a disappointing summer, remains one of the world’s best. Berkshire’s next top scorer was Extras, with 32 including 17 wides and 8 no balls. But as the wickets fell around her, Knight ploughed on, playing confidently off her toes and finding the boundary 21 times, including one huge 6 over deep midwicket off Izy Noakes.

In reply, Izzy Collis and Georgia Adams made it to 50 without loss, before Adams was bowled by Daisy Gardner. Good got better for Gardner as Sarah Taylor departed the very next ball – also bowled for a golden duck – off the final delivery of the over. Gardner’s hat-trick ball in the following over rapped Paige Scholfield on the pads, and after a huge appeal, up went the finger. In between, Lauren Bell had also removed Collis from the other end, and Sussex were reeling, having gone from 50/0 to 53/4 in the blink of an eye.

Despite a defiant 39 from Holly Colvin, there was no way back from there for Sussex; and as news began to filter through that Yorkshire had taken the 18 points they needed from Lancashire to seal the championship, Sussex looked for all the world like their hearts weren’t really in it any more – Fi Morris (4/32) and Lissy Macleod (3/52) doing the rest of the damage as Sussex were bowled out for 193.

Afterwards, happy hat-trick hero Daisy Gardner self-deprecatingly told CRICKETher how she approached that ball to Paige Scholfield:

“Relax, get into my rhythm… and then just appeal loud!”

It was a moment which will long live in the memory as Berkshire look back upon another winning season in Division 1 of the County Championship, with victories against Sussex, Middlesex, Lancashire and Notts; and just the two early-season defeats to Surrey and Yorkshire back in May.

Reflecting upon the summer, Berkshire Manager John Dickinson thanked the Berkshire Cricket Board for backing the team “100 percent” and put their success down to a solid work ethic:

“We don’t have any prima-donas – it’s all down to the team effort that the girls give every week.”

As Sussex celebrated the end of their season by being officially presented with the T20 Cup, Berkshire sat quietly in a circle on the other side of the ground – they may not have had the medals or the champagne… but once again they have a lot to be proud of nonetheless.