In the Women’s County Championship, Hampshire stay top of Div 1 after an incredible match against Somerset, which saw Somerset bowled out for 64, with Katie George and Fi Morris taking 4 wickets apiece, only for Somerset… or more accurately Anya Shrubsole… to roar back. Shrubsole tore through the Hampshire top order, taking 5-15 to leave them reeling at 17-5, before Suzie Bates and Charlotte Edwards came to the crease and proceeded to calmly knock off the remaining runs for Hampshire’s 3rd straight win of the season.

Hampshire are now the only unbeaten team in the top flight, after Kent went down to Middlesex at Mill Hill. Tash Miles top scored with 48, and Maia Bouchier made a valuable run-a-ball 38 at the end, as Middlesex posted 203-5 off their 50 overs. In reply, Kent, who were without Tammy Beaumont, were bowled out for 155, with Sophia Dunkley taking 4-23.

Yorkshire picked up their second win of the season versus Warwickshire – Lauren Winfield making 69 and Hollie Armitage 44 as they posted 198, with Georgia Davis taking a 4-fer for the Bears. Warwickshire chased hard, led by Amy Jones’ 68 off 58 balls, but were bowled out 13 short in the 49th over – Leigh Kasperek and Katherine Brunt taking 3 wickets each.

Lancashire also got a second notch in the bedpost of their season, as they beat Notts by 5 wickets at Welbeck CC. Georgie Boyce top-scored for Notts with 50 as they posted 152-8. In reply, Emma Lamb and Eve Jones put on 100 for the first wicket, and although Lancashire then wobbled and lost 5 quick wickets, they still managed to get over the line with overs aplenty to spare.

Next weekend sees things really hot up, as Hampshire take on Kent at Andover, whilst Lancashire and Yorkshire do battle in Rochdale. Another win for Hampshire would put them in a very strong position, though they still have to play both Lancashire and Yorkshire so it won’t be plain sailing even if they do beat Kent!

Meanwhile at the other end of the table, Middlesex take on Somerset and Warwickshire look to rebuild their season against Notts in Nottingham.

Sussex continued their unbeaten run in Division 2 of the Women’s County Championship today with a maximum bonus point win against Surrey at Reeds School.

3 wickets from Paige Scholfield saw Surrey restricted to 120 all out, before Sarah Taylor hit an unbeaten half-century to take Sussex to a 6-wicket win.

After Surrey had won the toss and chosen to bat, Tara “Chuck” Norris, opening the bowling for Sussex, broke through early to remove Bryony Smith (1) in the second over as her England teammate Danni Wyatt took the catch at point.

Kirstie White (20) and Aylish Cranstone (18) then steadied the ship with a 36-run partnership which was perhaps a bit too steady – Surrey reaching just 27 in the first 10 overs.

That partnership was broken in the 12th over by acting captain Georgia Elwiss; before Paige Scholfield ripped through Surrey’s middle-order in a consecutive 10-over spell, taking 3-17 including the crucial wicket of Nat Sciver (LBW).

England Academy’s Amy Gordon saved Surrey from capitulation with an exciting rearguard cameo (31*) that featured two sixes fired back over the heads of bowlers Norris and Freya Davies. But Sussex had the final say as Davies wrapped things up in the 49th over, removing Beth Kerins LBW.

Sussex were chasing only 120 but Wyatt gave them a scare up top, sending the first ball into the hands of Smith at point – a karmic role reversal from Smith’s own dismissal in the Surrey innings – to leave them 0-1.

That dismissal, though, brought Taylor to the crease, allowing her to continue her form of last weekend in an innings of 60* that exhibited her usual array of classical shots. She now has 3 half-centuries in as many innings, which should please Mark Robinson ahead of the England internationals which begin against South Africa next month.

For Sussex the important thing was to bat positively to ensure they reached the target within 30 overs, thus securing maximum batting bonus points. Taylor’s partnerships with Adams (25) – unscathed after earlier being hit in the forehead while fielding at slip – and Abi Freeborn (21), alongside the rather baffling decision not to bowl Sciver until 8 overs had already elapsed, allowed them to do so without much concern.

Speaking to CRICKETher after close of play, Sussex captain Georgia Adams said that she was really pleased with the way her team had started the season:

“We’ve trained really really hard this winter and we’ve set ourselves really high standards. The big thing for us is, we want to go in with a bang and not just win but win well. We’re definitely looking to win Division 2.”

The opening weekend in Div 2 saw Sussex steamroller first Derbyshire and then Northamptonshire as they look to bounce back to Div 1. A century from Georgia Adams and a half-century from Sarah Talor saw them notch-up 316 versus Derbyshire, before Freya Davies (6-10) bowled them out for just 65; whilst Taylor was again in the runs with 88, as Sussex posted 285 against Northants before bowling them out for 76.

For Surrey, Kirstie White led the way, with 41 and 94, as they beat Devon and then Wales; whilst for Berkshire, a Heather Knight hundred got them off to a winning start on Sunday versus Wales, but it was a much closer-run thing against Devon the following day – the Beavers making it 2-from-2 in a low-scoring game thanks to an all-round performance from 17-year-old Lauren Bell.

Essex also made a double-winning start to their campaign, though they were arguably slightly fortunate with the fixture list to be facing the weakest sides in the division first-up – Derbyshire and Northants – beating Derbyshire by 4 runs and Northants by 60.

Surrey v Sussex next weekend at Reeds School may well decide where the “title” goes, though neither will really care if they both get promoted, which is obviously the real end-goal here.

The opening weekend of the Women’s County Championship saw Hampshire and Kent make the early running with two wins apiece.

Suzie Bates was the difference for Hampshire, hitting 50 versus Notts on Sunday and then 148 off 146 balls against Warwickshire on Monday; whist for Kent Tammy Beaumont was the star turn, making 63* and 70* as they swept aside first last year’s runners-up Yorkshire, and then champions Lancashire.

After their opening-day defeat to Hampshire, Nottinghamshire bounced back to beat Somerset – a half-century from Yvonne Graves helping them to a total of 193, before Scottish spinner Kirstie Gordon took 5-26 as Somerset were bowled out for 81.

Somerset and Warwickshire both finished the weekend winless, but were involved in a rare tie at Nailsea Cricket Club on Sunday, as the two managed to both bowl each other out for 124.

At the bottom end of the table, Lancashire and Yorkshire both travelled south, where their away defeats to Kent were cancelled-out by wins against Middlesex. Middlesex-Lancashire wasn’t even close – a 10-wicket win for the champions, after bowling out their hosts for 120.

Middlesex then produced a slightly more encouraging performance against Yorkshire, thanks to 67* from Sophia Dunkley, who must be making a strong case for England selection in the T20 Tri-Series this summer; but with Lauren Winfield, finding some form again after a difficult winter, and Hollie Armitage both making 50s at the top of the Yorkshire order, Yorkshire cruised to victory in the end at Teddington.

And finally… Middlesex’s young wicket-keeper Iqraa Hussain can take some consolation that she was at least involved in a moment of history as she was bowled by Katie Levick on Monday – that wicket means that Levick now stands alone as the leading wicket-taker of all time in women’s county cricket, with 153 wickets.

England Academy fast bowler Lauren Bell top scored and took a 4-fer as Berkshire came out on top in a low-scoring encounter with Devon at North Maidenhead.

On a blisteringly hot day, Devon won the toss and put Berkshire in, with Oli Rae opening the batting alongside Heather Knight. Knight made the early running, driving runs into the off side, but was then dismissed for 21 off an innocuous delivery from Emily Edgcombe, which bounced oddly on the dusty North Maids pitch and ballooned to midwicket where Daisy Meadowcroft took the catch.

Carla Rudd, fresh from 50 yesterday, then joined Rae in the middle, but her dismissal in the 13th over led to a collapse from 43-1 to 44-5 as left-armer Hazelle Garton began to rip through the Berkshire middle-order. Garton finished with 5 wickets for 18, and Berkshire looked out for the count when Bell came in at 9 to join Millie Allerton at 71-8.

But Bell put on a feisty 36 for the 9th wicket with Allerton (11 off 39 balls) and then another 16 for the final wicket with Emma Walker (2 off 24 balls), to finish with 33 – her highest score in county cricket – as Berkshire’s innings ended all out for 123 off 45.4 overs – some way short of the 242 they had made on the same ground the previous day against Wales.

Former Berkshire Beaver Alex Rogers opened the batting for Devon alongside Amy Wier, but both were dismissed for ducks, followed quickly back to the pavilion by acting-captain Felicity Leydon-Davis and Emily Edgcombe, as Bell, bowling with unplayable pace, and spinner Emma Walker, getting real turn on a helpful pitch, gave Berkshire just the start they needed, reducing the visitors to 9-4.

With a low total to defend Berkshire could ill-afford to give anything away, but a slightly off-colour spell with the ball from Heather Knight, who was possibly experimenting with some new deliveries a few of which did not come out right at all (one in particular barely reaching the batsman on the second bounce), allowed Georgia Hennessy to lead a fight-back.

Hennessy made a stubborn 44 as Devon started to turn the tide; but the return of Bell finally brought her knock to an end, caught behind by Carla Rudd. Bell’s final victim of the day was Devon keeper Amanda Higginbotham, caught by Knight, to leave Bell with figures of 8 overs, 2 maidens, 4-17.

It was still nervous times though for Berkshire, as the Devon tail blocked everything that moved, allowing extras to keep the asking-rate manageable, before the last two wickets fell to ring catches off Lissy MacLeod and Phoebe Graham, with Devon all out for 102 at the death.

Afterwards, Berkshire captain MacLeod praised Bell’s contribution:

“Lauren Bell saved it with the bat – she changed the innings, and then bowled brilliantly in the opening spell gaining crucial wickets – she was outstanding today.”

The win means Berkshire, who lost every game on their way to relegation from Div 1 last season, are now 2-from-2 in Div 2 this term, and well-placed as they look to fight their way back to the top tier next year.

Hampshire (187-6) beat Nottinghamshire (186-9) by 4 wickets

On a gloriously sunny day at Havant Cricket Club, Hampshire opened their account in Division 1 of the Women’s County Championship with a tense win, chasing down Nottinghamshire’s total of 186 with just 1 over to spare.

Star of last season Suzie Bates had reached her half-century as Hampshire got their chase off to a much-too-leisurely start, reaching 100-3 in 29 overs.

It meant that when Bates departed for 54, having misjudged Kirstie Gordon’s slower ball, Hampshire were already behind the required rate.

Ultimately it took a real team effort to get them across the line, with Emily Windsor (49) and Katie George (23) both playing a role, before veteran Charlotte Edwards entered the fray with 30 runs still required.

Edwards was skilfully able to force the pace, with traces of the old brilliance still very much apparent as she found the boundary rope with a drive for four.

She was eventually run out backing up for 14, but Ariana Dowse finished things off the very next ball, pulling Georgie Boyce for four runs through square leg – Hampshire ending with a 4 wicket win.

Earlier Notts had accumulated the highest Div 1 total of the day, putting 186 runs on the board despite losing their last 6 wickets for 40 runs.

Sonia Odedra (50) and Jodie Dibble (44) formed the backbone of the innings, with both batsmen riding their luck in a partnership of 80 as several catches went begging.

For Hampshire, who by taking 9 wickets secured maximum bowling bonus points, it was 17-year-old Charlie Dean (3-31) who took the bowling honours, removing top-scorer Odedra just after she had reached her half-century, and taking a fantastic diving catch to dismiss Lucy Higham caught and bowled.

Speaking to CRICKETher after close of play Suzie Bates acknowledged that Hampshire had improvements to make but said that the win was the most important thing:

“We didn’t field as well as we would have liked but we managed to come back and keep them to a score that we felt we could chase.”

“We got off to a good start with the bat but lacked intent at times – it was probably a bit closer than we would have liked, but it’s nice to get the first win under our belts.”

Jump To: Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Yorkshire

Last season’s Women’s County Championship went right down to the wire, with Lancashire pipping Yorkshire by just 0.14 average points. (If Yorkshire had taken just one more wicket in their final-day defeat to Notts, they would have won.)

(The WCC is decided on average points (total points divided by completed matches) to attempt to fairly account for the weather – this usually works, though it does theoretically mean that someone could win the Championship having won just one game, if all their other matches were cancelled – which almost happened once!)

This season’s big contenders are likely to be the same teams that took the top spots in 2017 – Lancashire, Yorkshire and Warwickshire – but with the England contracted players expected to play almost every match this time, there will no doubt be some upset apple-carts along the way.

Hampshire

Last Season: 1st Div 2 (Promoted)

After narrowly missing out on promotion in 2016, Hampshire recruited Charlotte Edwards and Suzie Bates for 2017; and it was Bates who made the difference – scoring 494 season runs as Hampshire topped Div 2. With Edwards likely to step ever further down the order, Hampshire will need Bates to bring her best form again… but when doesn’t she? Alongside the Kiwi skipper, they will be looking to Emily Windsor and all-rounder Charlie Dean to step up with the bat; whilst there will be a new level of expectation for Katie George, having won her first England cap out in India this spring, to make an impact in Div 1.

Squad

• Suzie Bates
• Matilda Callaghan
• Ella Chandler
• Providence Cowdrill
• Clover Crosse
• Charlie Dean
• Charlotte Edwards
• Katie George
• Kim Healey
• Naomi Lynch
• Chloe Micklethwaite
• Alice Monaghan
• Fi Morris
• Dani Ransley
• Charlotte Taylor
• Emily Windsor

Kent

Last Season: 6th

So often the queens of the championship cakewalk, Kent found themselves in the somewhat unusual position of being relegation candidates on the final day last season. They survived, but better will be expected this season from a team that, on paper, ought to be right up there, with 4 contracted England players (Tammy Beaumont, Alice Davidson-Richards, Tash Farrant and Laura Marsh) not to mention the best player in England not to have a KSL contract – off-spinner Megan Belt. Belt needs just 6 wickets this season to break the significant career landmark of 100 wickets in county cricket… and she is still only 20!

Squad

• Tammy Beaumont
• Alice Davidson-Richards
• Megan Belt
• Lottie Bryan
• Izzy Cloke
• Tash Farrant
• Phoebe Franklin
• Grace Gibbs
• Lauren Griffiths
• Jenni Jackson
• Hannah Jelfs
• Arlene Kelly
• Laura Marsh
• Emily Thompson

Lancashire

Last Season: Champions

Bowled to glory last season by Sophie Ecclestone, Lancashire will have to defend their title without skipper Meg Fairclough, who has retired to a new life in Italy. Her successor – Eve Jones –  might have been dropped from England’s Academy program; but she remains a fine county cricketer and is one of only a tiny handful of women to have scored a County Championship century. Opening the batting alongside Jones, Lancashire will need Emma Lamb to put some numbers on the scoreboard, because their batting thereafter is a little bit thin, though with a bowling attack that includes Kate Cross and Alex Hartley, as well as the aforementioned Ecclestone, it might not matter!

Squad

• Eve Jones
• Kate Cross
• Sophie Ecclestone
• Alex Hartley
• Emma Lamb
• Ellie Threlkeld
• Natalie Brown
• Rachel Dickinson
• Ella Telford
• Jess Couser
• Nalisha Patel
• Shachi Pai
• Laura Jackson

Middlesex

Last Season: 5th

After battling through with 2 wins on the final weekend last season, this young Middlesex side might actually be an outside shot in 2018 to carry that momentum through to bigger and better things. They certainly started splendidly with a win against a strong MCC side at Lord’s last week – Maia Bouchier and Gayatri Gole both look like proper players now (Bouchier spent the winter impressing in domestic cricket in New Zealand) and with Sophia Dunkley coming of age, having had a good start to her season out in South Africa with England Academy, there is some real talent coming through alongside the established names like co-captains Natasha Miles and Naomi Dattani, England’s Fran Wilson, and ex-England batsman Beth Morgan.

Squad

• Emma Albery
• Maia Bouchier
• Hayleigh Brennan
• Amara Carr (T20 Only)
• Cath Dalton
• Naomi Dattani
• Sophia Dunkley
• Bhavika Gajipra
• Gayatri Gole
• Iqraa Hussain
• Natasha Miles
• Beth Morgan
• Emily Thorpe
• Rebecca Tyson
• Fran Wilson
• Katie Wolfe

Nottinghamshire

Last Season: 4th

Nottinghamshire somewhat defied gravity last season with a mid-table finish in the County Championship, and backed that up by winning Div 2 of the T20 Cup. With Kirstie Gordon getting better every year, and surely eyeing up a Super League contract with her economy rates, plus batsman Georgie Boyce coming through the England Academy system, they’ve got some talent coming on longer-term; but right now they are very dependent upon Sonia Odedra, stepping up season after season, scoring 452 runs and taking 15 wickets in 2017. Without her and Jodie Dibble (366 runs and 18 wickets in 2017) they’d be struggling.

Squad

• Amy Gauvrit
• Beth Unwin
• Georgie Boyce
• Hannah Hughes
• Jodie Dibble
• Kirstie Gordon
• Lucy Higham
• Megan Burton
• Sonia Odedra
• Sophie Munro
• Yvonne Graves
• Teresa Graves

Somerset

Last Season: 2nd Div 2 (Promoted)

The last time Somerset were promoted to Div 1, in 2016, they went straight back down again; and they’ve also found themselves playing ping-pong between the divisions in the T20 Cup in recent years. Sophie Luff – too good a cricketer to be playing in Div 2 – scored a staggering 38% of their runs last year, averaging 66, so she is key with the bat; but a lot might hang on how much Anya Shrubsole actually plays – or rather, how much she is allowed to play, by an England management team who will have a nervous eye on her fitness for the World T20 later in the year.

Squad

• Anya Shrubsole
• Georgina Adcock
• Bernadette Forge
• Sophie Luff
• Olivia Hamilton
• Nicole Richards
• Carmen Clements
• Georgia Tulip
• Megan Hodkinson
• Emily Dibble
• Lauren Bowen–Jones
• Lauren Filer
• Lorraine Szczepanski

Warwickshire

Last Season: 3rd

Warwickshire probably spent more time at the top of the table than anyone else in 2016 and 2017, but still managed to fall away at the last to come 3rd on both occasions; there is no doubt that the only third they will be looking for this time around is third time lucky! Warwickshire under young captain Marie Kelly are a proper “team” with a lot of good players rather than one or two stars. Kelly herself, Kathryn Bryce and Amy Jones all made runs last season; whilst with the ball, wickets were shared between Anisha Patel (14), Liz Russell (10) and Becky Grundy (10). Expect more of the same this season, plus added Jenny Gunn and New Zealand superstar Sophie Devine for a couple of games in late May, and you could be looking at potential champions.

Squad

• Marie Kelly
• Kathryn Bryce
• Amy Jones
• Jenny Gunn
• Laura Crofts
• Katie Green
• Lizzie Russell
• Georgia Davis
• Anisha Patel
• Ria Fackrell
• Mina Zahoor
• Jo Gardner
• Thea Brookes
• Gwenan Davis
• Sophie Devine

Yorkshire

Last Season: 2nd

Yorkshire are still smarting after being beaten by a nose last season, especially having won their head-to-head with eventual champions Lancashire by a whopping 122 runs; and they will certainly be up there this season. With Katherine Brunt and Dani Hazell on the squad, you’d think that would be enough bowling for anyone; but Yorkshire’s “secret” weapon is leg-spinner Katie Levick who, with 33 wickets last season, needs just one more wicket to overtake Holly Colvin and Danni Warren (who interestingly both finished their careers on 152 wickets) to become the leading wicket-taker of all time in women’s county cricket*. With the bat, they (and England) will be hoping that the less pressured environment of county cricket offers Lauren Winfield a chance to rediscover the form that deserted her over the winter in Australia, where a poor Women’s Ashes was followed by a nightmare WBBL.

2017† Squad

• Jess Watson
• Lauren Winfield
• Katherine Brunt
• Dani Hazell
• Beth Langston
• Hollie Armitage
• Anna Nicholls
• Steph Butler
• Katie Levick
• Cecilia Allen
• Hannah Buck
• Katie Thompson
• Madie Walsh
• Theresa Graves
• Rebecca Newark
• Hannah Poulter
• Rachel Hildreth
• Charlotte North

———————-

* List here – stats on Play Cricket only go back to 2002, but the leading numbers are likely to be correct.

† We asked… we did not receive.

Jake Perry reports

Stormers 243 (L Jack 66, H Rainey 3 for 34) beat Eagles 148 (S Bryce 73, R Scholes 4 for 14) by 95 runs

The summer of women’s cricket got underway with an emphatic victory for the Stormers in the opening match of the Cricket Scotland Regional Series at Raeburn Place. Despite a defiant 73 from Eagles opener Sarah Bryce, Stormers captain Lorna Jack’s decisive hand in partnerships of 60 and 97 proved to be the difference as the side from the West, North and Borders secured a 95 run win in the only fifty over match of the competition.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Stormers opening pair of Jack and Rachel Scholes made a brisk start, with Scholes’ wristy flick through mid-off bringing the first boundary of the innings. Jack was soon into her stride, too, as the pair made the most of an excellent batting surface to take the total to 60 in untroubled style.

It was going to take something special to make the breakthrough, and it duly arrived in the form of Kitty Levinson’s pick-up and throw from the boundary to run Scholes out for 26. Emily Cavender (12) quickly followed, stumped by Sarah Bryce to give thirteen-year-old spinner Katherine Fraser a wicket with her first delivery, and when Becky Glen (3) was also run out by the powerful arm of Levinson the Stormers suddenly found themselves on the back foot at 97-3.

Jack and Priyanaz Chatterji settled any nerves, however, with what turned out to be the highest partnership of the match. The Stormers captain reached a 57-ball half century with her fifth four as the Scotland duo kept up the run-rate with some powerful hitting, and as the total approached 200 the game was slipping away from the bowling side for a second time in the day.

At the crucial time the Eagles found the breakthrough, though, as Jack (66) was trapped in front by Caitlin Ormiston, and when Chatterji (47) presented the Gala bowler with a second wicket in her next over, mistiming a pull to Ruth Foulds at midwicket, the bowling side had given themselves a chance once more. Led by Hannah Rainey (3-34) and Katherine Fraser (3-53) the final five Stormers wickets fell for just 42 as their total was limited to 243.

Despite the frustration of a high number of extras, the Eagles bowlers had stuck to their task well on a pitch that offered little assistance to them. Fraser bowled with particular maturity, varying her length and flight beautifully to add the wickets of Ellen Watson and Abtaha Maqsood to that of Cavender. Demonstrating very good control, a nice range of variations and evident confidence in delivering them, the young off-spinner looks to be an outstanding prospect for the future.

Although the runs required were fewer than had looked likely with Jack and Chatterji at the crease the Eagles were still faced with an imposing task, and the chase began with an immediate statement of intent from Sarah Bryce as she cracked the first ball through the covers for four. Fresh from her winter in Australia the Scotland wicketkeeper looked in terrific form, but as the innings unfolded the lack of a lasting partnership meant that the Stormers total was never seriously threatened.

The loss of Riti Patel (4), Kitty Levinson (8) and Katie McGill (1) reduced the batting side to 61-3, and although Bryce brought up her fifty with a single in the 24th over the dismissal of Ruth Foulds (7) next ball put the Eagles into further trouble at 93-4.

Tight bowling from the spinners kept the pressure up, and after Bryce (73) was finally out in the 38th the last two wickets followed quickly, Rachel Scholes taking 4 for 14 as the victory was confirmed.

The Regional Series continues with six Twenty20 matches over the summer, beginning with a double-header at Rossie Priory on June 3. At the start of a big year for Scotland’s Women, particularly in T20, it is another opportunity for players to put themselves into contention for national selection.

“We’re hoping that the competition will provide a platform for the strongest players in the country to exhibit their skills and we can hopefully build a bit of an identity as well,” said National Head Coach Steve Knox.

“We’ve only got the two teams this year but we’re hoping that that will expand over the next two years into a three-team competition which will provide the foundation for everything that happens over and above that.

“It’s a great opportunity for our best players to pit their skills against each other. This is another big season for us and I’m very excited about what is to come.”

———————

Report from Cricket Scotland

Jake Perry is a cricket writer based in Scotland.

Twitter: @jperry_cricket / Facebook: Jake Perry Cricket

After their win against MCC at Lord’s last week, Middlesex will go into the opening rounds of the Women’s County Championship next weekend with some confidence, hoping to avoid a repeat of last season where they lost their first two matches to Lancashire and Yorkshire.

“We didn’t start as well as we wanted to!” admits co-captain Natasha Miles.

Victory by the narrowest of margins against Berkshire was followed by two more defeats, to Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire, leaving them with 1 win from 5 by the end of May. Mired in the relegation zone, it didn’t look good for Middlesex going into the T20 season.

“It was a difficult time for us,” acknowledges coach Sanjay Patel. “We were up against it – availability wasn’t great; the England girls weren’t around; and we had some freak injuries – it was all doom and gloom!”

But the T20 season offered an opportunity for a fresh start, and Middlesex grabbed it – winning 5 of their 8 matches, finishing with big wins against Warwickshire and Kent in the final round to lift them to a second-placed finish in the table.

“The T20 came at a really good time,” says Patel. “We played some fantastic cricket and the belief that I keep telling the girls that I have in them came through in the T20 and it freed them up a bit.”

When the County Championship resumed, however, staying up still looked like a tough ask for Middlesex, with back-to-back fixtures against Sussex and Kent – traditionally two of the strongest sides in the competition.

“We were under massive pressure – I didn’t sleep for days!” recalls Patel.

Middlesex pulled off the win against Kent, but other results meant that the match against Sussex had become a relegation “final”.

Players on both sides rose to the occasion: “It was one of the best games of cricket I’ve ever seen – proper cricket – the challenges were there, mentally and physically,” says Patel.

But thanks to a fantastic performance from all-rounder Sophia Dunkley – top-scoring with 63 and taking 3 wickets – it was Middlesex who came out on top.

“We learned so much from those two days,” says Miles. “Everything we put into those two games we took into our winter training and now we’re bringing it to the season coming.”

A few new faces will join the ranks this season, alongside established stars like co-captain Naomi Dattani and former England veteran Beth Morgan. Patel takes us through the roll-call:

“There’s Emma Albery, who is at university in York – a young exciting middle-order batsman who bowls a little bit of spin; and Rebecca Tyson, who is the youngest – a left-arm seamer; while Iqraa Hussain will keep wicket in the 50-over. Iqraa and Emma have come through our junior program, while Rebecca came through our regional trialling program from Hertfordshire.”

“Katie Woolfe is also like a new player – she was injured for most of last year with terrible shin-splints and pretty much missed the whole season – but she is a really exciting young opening bowler, who is in the England Academy program.”

Miles is also excited about their new “overseas”, Hayleigh Brennan – a British passport-holder from Australia, who played against England in the Governor General’s XI match during the recent Women’s Ashes tour, and made one appearance for the Melbourne Stars in WBBL03.

“We only just met Hayleigh this weekend – she is going to offer a lot of experience opening the bowling alongside the younger girls that are coming through,” says Miles.

So… the big question: will this be Middlesex’s year?

“We are optimistic,” says Miles; and Patel agrees:

“I’m not a big one for making predictions,” he says. “But I say to the girls: if we play to our potential, we will beat anyone!”

The MCC’s inaugural Women’s Day at Lord’s woke the old ground from an 85-year slumber as Middlesex played on the main square for the first time in their history.

Middlesex Women’s Cricket Club was founded in 1933 and played its first county match in June 1934, against the Civil Service (which… yes… was a “county” in those days) but it was not until yesterday – April 24 2018 – that they got to play properly at The Home of Cricket, and they made the most of it, beating a strong MCC side by 6 wickets with one ball to spare.

The MCC XI were led by Charlotte Edwards, and included current England players Georgia Elwiss and Sarah Taylor, but it was Durham’s Elysa Hubbard and former Berkshire Beaver Alex Rogers who opened the batting, putting on a century-stand for the first wicket, with Rogers eventually falling for 72, as Maia Bouchier finally held a catch (off Bhavika Gajipra) after more than a few sitters had been put down by Middlesex, doubtless due to a combination of nerves and the unfamiliarity of playing in a big stadium.

The MCC closed on 145-3, which looked competitive; and although openers Tash Miles and Naomi Dattani got Middlesex off to a good start, the asking rate began to creep up, until it exceeded 9-an-over at one stage; but a fantastic knock from Bouchier got it down to 30 off the final 4 overs, and then 8 off the last 6 balls, with Bouchier finishing on 39* as Middlesex celebrated the win.

Earlier in the day, over 5,000 kids from local schools had cheered every ball as two MCC XI’s, including a few England names of yesteryear, played a knockabout exhibition match, notable mainly for Claire Taylor gamely trying to hold back and not make everyone else look too silly as she dominated some very friendly bowling to lead her team to victory.

The children were also treated to games and coaching sessions on the Nursery Ground, and if the measure of the day as an “event” was to be judged by excited grins on happy faces, then it certainly hit the mark, perhaps demonstrating that you can get kids enthusiastic about cricket, even without resorting to 100-ball Countdown Cricket… or “Crockit” as our own teenager has now officially termed it!!