The “Average Points” system used to decide the Women’s County Championship looks like descending into farce again, as 2nd-placed Yorkshire appear to have been able to essentially forfeit their match against 3rd-placed Sussex, without suffering any penalty… and indeed may go on to win the Championship as a result, as detailed over on Women’s Cricket Blog.

Last year’s Championship ended in similar circumstances, with Kent actually being handed the trophy despite having theoretically two more games to play, which if they had lost would have handed the title to Surrey. (And bearing in mind that Kent would have been without their England players for the replays, there is every possibility that this is exactly what would have happened.)

2012 saw an even more bizarre situation, as Essex made it through to the “Grand Final” despite having won only two games… because they were the only completed games they played; though at least on that occasion poetic justice was served as Kent deservedly went on to take the title by winning the final.

The Average Point system was intended to even-out the vagaries of the English weather, which inevitably causes cancellations, the impact of which are magnified by such a short (8 game) season.

But like some sort of Alan Ayckbourn script writ-large, it has instead become the cause of a litany of ever more ridiculous outcomes; which inevitably look all the more laughable because of the complexities of such a system, when compared to JUST ADDING UP THE POINTS!

It must be hoped that when the Women’s Cricket Super League is introduced in 2016/17, this is one feature of the Women’s County Championship that is politely (or if necessary, impolitely) told it is no longer welcome around these parts!

As Australia’s (fairly) long-standing domestic structure based around 7 state* teams, morphs into the 8-team, city-based WBBL, there are signs of looming recruitment difficulties for at least one of the teams.

News coming out of the Subcontinent suggests that the Melbourne Stars attempts to enlist two of India’s biggest names – captain Mithali Raj and bowling all-rounder Jhulan Goswami – have fallen flat.

Whether Mitali and Jhulan made up their own minds not to play for the Stars, or had them made up for them by the BCCI, is unclear; though the latter would be no surprise, given that the Indian Board has been very reluctant to allow their players to participate in any of the men’s T20 competitions outside India.

But CRICKETher can reveal that the Stars also made enquiries about a senior England player which were politely rebuffed by the player herself, not the ECB.

Overall, the Stars appear to have made only 4 domestic signings so far – albeit one being the Megastar herself, Meg Lanning – and have filled none of the 3 “overseas” spots on their roster.

With less than 90 days to go until WBBL bats-off on December 5th, the sense of excitement is building; but Cricket Australia will be crossing their fingers that the drama builds to a climax… not a crisis!

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* Yes… we know ACT isn’t technically a state!

The ICC have confirmed the schedule for the World T20 Qualifiers in Thailand this November so CRICKETher sat down with Scotland captain Abbi Aitken to talk about the challenge ahead:

“We are really excited to head out to Thailand.” she says. “We have Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Thailand in our group. We’ve played Papua New Guinea and Thailand before. We’ve never played Bangladesh, but we are well aware of the skill and the depth that they have.”

The tournament is structured around two groups of four, with the top two teams in each group going through to semis and a final; but only the two finalists qualify for the World T20 “proper” in India next year. Scotland’s first challenge is to make it through the group stages, and for Aitken that is the main goal:

“We back ourselves to finish in the top 2 of our group and that is going to be our aim.”

Asked if they can go one better and book themselves a ticket to India, Aitken dials-down expectations: “We’ll see how the tournament goes!” she replies with a smile.

These qualifiers represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Scotland:

“Last time we competed in a World Cup qualifier was in South Africa in 2008. That was an eye-opener for myself – I was really young – going out there and actually experiencing international cricket outwith Europe is an experience and it will be interesting for the girls.”

But excitement within the camp is tempered by nerves:

“There’s a massive competition going on at the moment for places – we’ve got 14 people that we can take and we’ve realistically got 19/20 girls pushing for those places. It is difficult to then select a team to go, and there are going be a few disappointed faces, but it is good for us at the end of the day to have that competition.”

For Aitken, who remains a “full time amateur”, balancing work and cricket can be demanding, no more so than when you are heading off to an international tournament:

“I’ve just got a new job and I’m already facing challenges with having to ask for holidays before I’ve even started. It’s not always easy.”

At the end of the day though, pulling on that Scotland jersey is its own reward:

“Any time you wear the shirt you wear it with pride!” she says. “It is a juggle, but we do it because we love it.”

Whilst Ellyse Perry was rightly awarded overall Player of the Series in the 2015 Women’s Ashes, England fans have had their say, voting for batsman and superstar fielder Lydia Greenway as their England Player of the Series.

Greenway hasn’t had the easiest of times recently, after a run of indifferent scores led to her being dropped for the final Women’s International Championship ODI of England’s winter tour to New Zealand in February.

But she has come roaring back in the Women’s Ashes this summer, starting off with a half-century in the 1st ODI at Taunton, and going on to top the list of England’s run-scorers in the series, with 202 at an average of 34.

This summer has seen a renewed determination from Greenway to defend her wicket. Having largely pared back her game to a big, solid forward defensive and of course her trademark sweeps, her Strike Rate has been down somewhat on her career overall; but at a time when England’s middle-order has needed backbone more than anything else, the new Greenway’s presence has been a welcome one.

Meanwhile her sharpness in the field continues to be worth an extra 10-20 runs in every game she plays; not to mention her 4 catches and 3 run-outs in the series.

The head of women’s cricket in Scotland, Kari Carswell, has told CRICKETher that Scotland’s international future hangs in the balance, due to ECB plans to exclude them from the Women’s County Championship as part of the reorganisation of domestic cricket in England following the establishment of the Women’s Cricket Super League in 2016/17.

As well as being ICC Associate Nations, Scotland along with Ireland and the Netherlands, play as “counties” in England’s domestic competitions – the 50-over Women’s County Championship and the T20 Cup. (Scotland are currently in Division 2 of the County Championship, along with Ireland, whilst the Netherlands lie in Division 3. In the T20 format, Ireland are in Division 1, while Scotland and the Netherlands compete in Division 3.)

However, back in June the ECB announced that 2016/17 would see the introduction of a new Super League; and that whilst the County Championship would continue, the three Associate Nations would be excluded from it.

Scotland boss Kari Carswell described her reaction to the news:

“I have no doubt that women’s cricket in Scotland will continue to move forward regardless,” she told CRICKETher, “but it is a concern to us.”

Carswell stressed that she is sympathetic to what the ECB are trying to do with the Super League:

“It is obviously something needed. You can see that by the recent Ashes series that the step between County Championship to the next level is obviously quite big. So it’s the right thing for them to do.”

And she told us that it would be “absolutely awesome” if any Scotland players were to play Super League, mentioning in particular their highly rated young left-arm orthodox, Kirstie Gordon; and former “Wildcat” Leigh Kasperek, who recently made her New Zealand début:

“Kirstie is part of the development program with the ECB just now. We’ve never held anybody back – Leigh played at Essex and is now playing for New Zealand – so if there’s girls that want to go and play, absolutely!”

But whilst being supportive of Super League, Carswell is very worried for the future of Scotland as an international cricketing nation if they are excluded from the Women’s County Championship, arguing that the opportunity to play regularly as a team is vital:

“Replicating a competitive fixture list of 16 games will be difficult, and is something that we will have to look at. We have absolutely loved being part of the County Championship and I would like to think that we have added something to the program. As an Associate you are trying to get better and trying to do all the right things; but at the end of the day you need to play quality cricket to measure yourself.”

Scotland’s only other option for competitive cricket comes from the European Championship, but Carswell believes this isn’t enough of a foundation upon which to build a national team:

“If we only go back to only playing the European Championship once every 2 or 3 years, it will be a step backwards in my opinion.”

Pointing out that Scotland don’t currently receive any ECB funding, and play all their matches “away” to minimize the travel costs for other counties, she continued:

“We would like to think that we would still easily fit in to a regional set up – a north group would be perfect!”

All hope isn’t lost for Scotland – but Carswell’s pleas betray what a knife-edge this is on:

“We have had conversations with the ECB about trying to stay in – trying to convince them that we can still be part of a regional program. There needs to be a bit more dialogue between us and the ECB; because we would love to stay in it!”

Ellyse Perry was rightly named Player of the 2015 Women’s Ashes Series, topping the charts for both runs (264) and wickets (16); but who was your England Player of the Series?

Women’s Test cricket is under attack – and this time not just from the usual trolls on Twitter; but from influential voices within the men’s game.

The Guardian’s Cricket Correspondent, former Test bowler Mike Selvey, who has almost 25,000 followers on Twitter, described the recent Women’s Ashes Test as “the worst possible advertisement” for the women’s game and called upon those who support the concept of women’s Tests to “think again… [and] let go.”

Meanwhile in The Times, Sky presenter and ex-England captain Mike Atherton (over 100,000 Twitter followers) called the Test “tedious viewing” which had “set back the cause of women’s cricket”.

It is obviously very disappointing to see the likes of Selvey and Atherton use their pulpits in the national press to publish such destructive attacks on the women’s game, especially given the likelihood that not only is this the only column each will write on the  subject this year, but probably also the only such piece many of their congregation will read.

Fortunately, any decisions on the future of women’s Tests will be made not by members of the Third Estate, but by those responsible for the custodianship of the women’s game at the ECB, Cricket Australia and the BCCI in India – among which none are more influential than the Head of Women’s Cricket at  the ECB, and chair of the ICC’s Women’s Cricket Committee, Clare Connor.

And Connor is making a stand.

Asked by CRICKETher about her commitment to the longest form of the Women’s game, she drew a clear line in the sand:

“I would never want to be part of an administration that strikes a line through Test cricket. I would hate that.”

And regarding the Test’s place in the Women’s Ashes points format:

“We’ve kept [women’s Test cricket] alive by this bigger scenario; and I will fight to continue to do that.”

But it was when asked “Why?” that Connor’s true passion rang through:

“[It’s for] the players – it’s sacred for them – it’s one of their proudest moments.”

An administrator she may be these days, but like the child, the player inside never dies… and the player inside Clare Connor is alive and kicking and ready to fight for women’s Test cricket.