On Friday I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to chat to three Northern Diamonds cricketers at an event with Yorkshire County Cricket Club partner, Vertu Motors.
Hollie Armitage (Photo: SWPix)
Up first was White Rose Captain Hollie Armitage a batting all-rounder who also has a brown belt in karate. Hollie is a full-time professional cricketer.
In 2020 Hollie led her team all the way to the final of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy where they lost out to the Southern Vipers.
Originally set to be a one-off tournament the competition has returned for a second year and Diamonds sit second in the league with 3 wins and one loss, narrowly behind Vipers once again.
This last weekend saw the pause of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, till September, and the beginning of the Charlotte Edwards Trophy (the Women’s Regional T20 competition) and Northern Diamonds faced up to old enemy Thunder.
Hollie explained that the rivalry in this particular fixture is very special as a modern day War of the Roses. The players have also come through the ranks of cricket together and enjoy the match up. As with all local derbies there is an edge.
Despite the frustrations that Covid has inflicted on travel and sport Hollie was able to spend the winter in Australia and after undergoing quarantine was playing and coaching in Tasmania with the Clarence District Cricket Club. These experiences will stand her in good stead going forward and are wonderful for her future playing and coaching career.
The opening T20 on Saturday was played at Headingley as part of a double-header.
Coming soon of course is The Hundred [Armitage is signed for the Northern Superchargers] a competition she is greatly looking forward to – regulations permitting the competition should attract large crowds as well as a TV audience which be will be great in the promotion of the women’s game and the ECB has put the women’s game front and centre for the competition.
Also signed for the Superchargers is team mate Phoebe Graham (pictured above).
Phoebe has come up through the ranks and at the age of 29 has become a professional cricketer and given up her job with Sky. She has decided to grasp the opportunity with both hands and follow her dreams.
Being a professional means not only can she commit to her cricket full time and all the training that entails, it gives her the opportunity of recovering both mentally and physically after each game without worrying about her work commitments.
Phoebe said that she thought that she had lost the chance after choosing university over cricket at 18 although she continued playing for University and County. But then she was offered a spot with the Northern Diamonds last summer – after juggling work and cricket the offer of a professional contract in 2021 was a chance to reach for the sky.
She is also looking forward to The Hundred, and the opportunity to really showcase the women’s game.
Katie Levick (Photo: SWPix)
Spin bowler Katie Levick is the leading wicket taker of all time in women’s county cricket and she was also the Guardian Women’s Cricketer of 2019.
Growing up Katie’s cricketing hero was Shane Warne – at that time there was little women’s cricket on show. As she’s got older she has been influenced by legendary Katherine Brunt and Dani Hazel. Now she is lucky enough to play alongside Katherine and be coached by Dani.
Katie’s cricketing career was threatened after she developed Covid 19 last October and although recovering has been affected by the serious symptoms of Long Covid.
Fortunately for Katie, she is monitored so well at Yorkshire they spotted that her heart had been affected by the virus, numerous tests have followed and progress has been slow but she has got there, which is a triumph.
Katie is very grateful for the care she has received. It has been a long hard road and she is very glad to be able to be playing cricket again.
Katie is also signed for the Superchargers and is also looking forward to the challenges The Hundred will bring.
Katie, Phoebe and Hollie all thought introducing regular test matches to the women’s calendar would be a positive move and a test against Thunder would be the one they would most like to see.
Footnote: The Diamonds lost out to Thunder on Saturday by just 12 runs – they also lost iconic wicket keeper Sarah Taylor to concussion – we hope she recovers soon.
