2019 Diary

A Ramble on Women's Cricket
 - with diversions -

This diary will be updated erratically throughout the year.

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Whither County Cricket?

Well, the 2019 season is almost upon us, and boy am I looking forward to it. Is there a special reason why this year has tempted me to type in this fashion when I haven't always done so  in previous years? Well, actually there is.

Firstly it may be the last year I can watch my favourite county, one I have been involved with for well over a decade. The re-vamping of the county championship means that the entire county system is in limbo and, if the dreaded word 'franchise' starts appearing, may disappear for good. Sussex formed its WCA (Women's Cricket Association) in 1935 and while it struggled in some of the early years, it finally came to fruition. While the early years may have been a struggle they did though provide one absolutely vital service - they allowed women to play cricket at a higher level than club. If you've read anything on the new proposed format you will know that this is a luxury about to be removed from hundreds of girls around the UK except at age group level. Women's cricket has made such huge advances in the last couple of decades that it's tough on an old-timer like me to see backward steps.

It would appear that some counties are not going to take this ECB edict lying down, however, and will form non-ECB leagues of their own. All this is still in the early stages of planning I guess but I hope I'll be able to bring you details during the summer. If you are aware of any moves to keep county cricket alive, do let me know. donjmiles@gmail.com.

And in the Spirit of Supporting Your County...

Have You Heard of "Women's County Cricket Day"?

Well, you should have!  Just to 'fill you in' here's the press release...

Women’s County Cricket Day Planned for Monday 6th May - Support #YourCounty

Ahead of the 2019 cricket season, a new social media campaign is being launched aiming to get more county cricket supporters watching their women’s team. The campaign will centre around getting fans to attend a women’s match on one specific “Women’s County Cricket Day”, Bank Holiday Monday 6th May.

The aim of the new campaign is to promote women’s county cricket to a wider audience and to encourage cricket lovers across the country to get out and discover a part of the game they may not know much about.

The campaign was launched on Twitter on 25 March via a dedicated account (@WomensCricDay), using the hashtag #YourCounty. Cricket fans up and down the country will be encouraged to discover the hidden gem that is women’s county cricket by attending their nearest match on Monday 6th May.

England stars such as Heather Knight (Berkshire), Katherine Brunt (Yorkshire) and Anya Shrubsole (Somerset) are likely to be in action on the Bank Holiday Monday, using it as a chance to hone their skills ahead of this summer’s Women’s Ashes.

The campaign is being run as a joint venture through the combined efforts of various individual women’s cricket supporters, and the following cricket websites and blogs:

www.crickether.com (Twitter - @crickether),

www.womens-cricket.blogspot.com (Twitter - @WomensCricBlog) and

www.womenscricket.net (Twitter - @DonMiles13).

Former England captain Charlotte Edwards said: “This is a brilliant campaign and something I really support.”

“It’s important we raise awareness of women’s county cricket, and hopefully as a result we’ll get more cricket lovers watching and following their local counties.”

Raf Nicholson, Editor of CRICKETher.com, said: “Women’s county cricket produces the England stars of the future, but often very few people know that these matches are taking place.”

“The men’s county calendar for 2019 has seen a drastic reduction in the amount of weekend cricket available to followers of the game, but women’s county matches will be taking place every Sunday and Bank Holiday during May and June.”

“We want to encourage cricket followers to take this great opportunity to get out there and support their county.”

Questions about the campaign should be addressed in the first instance to Richard Clark(womenscountycricket@outlook.com)

Don't forget this is a Bank Holiday!

A full list of women’s county fixtures for Monday 6th May is given below:

Division 1:

Hampshire v Yorkshire - Totton and Eling Cricket Club, Southern Gardens, Totton, Southampton SO40 8RW

Kent v Warwickshire - Kent County Cricket Club, Beckenham, Worsley Bridge Rd, Beckenham BR3 1DR

Surrey v Lancashire - Guildford Cricket Club, The Sports Ground, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4RP

Sussex v Nottinghamshire - Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, Lewes Rd, Brighton BN1 9PW

[To visit this ground set your satnav to 'Lucraft Road' - drive through the bridge and the car park is on your right, the ground in front of you. Do NOT use the postcode for the Academy!  There is no road from the Brighton & Hove football ground through to the Academy although they are adjacent to each other and if you use the Academy's postcode that's where you'll end up!

Division 2:

Berkshire v Worcestershire - North Maidenhead Cricket Club, Summerleaze Rd, Maidenhead SL6 8SP

Devon v Wales - North Devon Cricket Club, 8 Sandhills, Instow, Bideford EX39 4LF

Somerset v Durham - Taunton Vale Sports Club, Gipsy Lane, Taunton TA2 6L

Division 3:

Cumbria v Leicestershire - TBC

Derbyshire v Scotland - Marehay Cricket Club, Warmwells Ln, Ripley DE5 8JB

Northumberland v Lincolnshire - Stocksfield Cricket Club, Main Road, Stocksfield NE43 7NN

Cambridgeshire v Netherlands - Bluntisham Cricket Club, Mill Lane, Bluntisham PE28 3LR

Norfolk v Northamptonshire - Cromer Cricket Club, Cromer NR27 0AU

Suffolk v Hertfordshire - Copdock and Old Ipswichian Cricket Club, Old London Road, Copdock, Ipswich IP8 3JN

Cornwall v Gloucestershire - Roche CC, Trezaise Road, Roche PL26 8HD

Dorset v Oxfordshire - Hamworthy Sports Club, Magna Road, Bournemouth BH21 3AP

Wiltshire v Buckinghamshire - TBC

Now your task is to spread the word as widely as possible. Make sure your team mates know about it and join in. If we can succeed then more and more people will follow the sport, come and watch and maybe their daughters will start playing.

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