Cricket has remained one of the very few English sports based upon counties. Tennis and rugby used to have thriving county networks, but these days you have to search hard to find coverage of them in the national media.

With the current preference for money-spinning franchises in which Indian businessmen can indulge themselves, cricket’s eighteen counties in the men’s Championship have faced a struggle for survival.

It’s a similar story with women’s cricket.

The new structures put in place (the two competitions and the regions) were essential for its welfare. The talent was spread far too thin across every one of England’s counties – and beyond into Wales (the ECB is more properly the EWCB). So they had to take a back seat.

The Kia Super League saw new franchises put in place, amalgamations agreed, new names invented which the innocent spectator had to learn.

But sponsors disappear faster than melting snow. Inside three years (2016-2018) the KSL was gone, to be replaced by yet more newly named franchises.

Let me think: is it Thunder or North-West Thunder? Or is it actually Lightning? Where is Lauren Winfield-Hill playing this year? It’s quite a memory-stretcher.

When England’s Under 19 squad was announced, it was in the new format, with the fancy franchise names appended. Below is how they would have appeared in earlier times. I know which I prefer. You may disagree:

Ellie Anderson (Central Sparks)
Hannah Baker (Central Sparks)
Josie Groves (Lightning)
Liberty Heap (Thunder)
Niamh Holland (Western Storm)
Ryana MacDonald-Gay (South East Stars)
Emma Marlow (Northern Diamonds)
Charis Pavely (Central Sparks)
Davina Perrin (Central Sparks)
Lizzie Scott (Northern Diamonds)
Grace Scrivens (captain, Sunrisers)
Sophia Smale (Western Storm)
Seren Smale (Thunder)
Alexa Stonehouse (South East Stars)
Maddie Ward (Lightning)

Or:

Ellie Anderson (Central Sparks and Worcestershire)
Hannah Baker (Central Sparks and Worcestershire)
Josie Groves (Lightning and Northamptonshire)
Liberty Heap (Thunder and Lancashire)
Niamh Holland (Western Storm and Somerset)
Ryana MacDonald-Gay (vice-captain, South East Stars and Kent)
Emma Marlow (Northern Diamonds and Yorkshire)
Charis Pavely (Central Sparks) and Worcestershire
Davina Perrin (Central Sparks and Staffordshire)
Lizzie Scott (Northern Diamonds and Northumberland & Durham)
Grace Scrivens (captain, Sunrisers and Kent)
Seren Smale (Thunder and Lancashire)
Sophia Smale (Western Storm and Wales)
Alexa Stonehouse (South East Stars and Kent)
Maddie Ward (Lightning and Nottinghamshire)

(Some of these players have already switched counties in their young careers.) But it’s nice to be able to pay due respect to the nurseries that nurtured this talent.

That is how Glenn feels about things.

She knew she had to leave her native heath to advance her England prospects. Her move paid high dividends (see the three names from the Pears above – well done, Worcestershire!). But now that she is part of the elite set-up, she prefers to return whence she came and take her turn in helping youngsters find their feet.

Last year they swamped the opposition at Beckenham; this time round they had to work very hard to gain their victories.

In the Sunday matches there was a breathless result at Heywood. A 35-over contest on a damp pitch saw Lancashire scrape home against Sussex by 3 runs. Nancy Harman took four quick wickets to leave the last pair hanging on to secure victory.

Likewise over the Pennines at Harrogate (a 36-over game) both Yorkshire and Kent found run-getting a hard task. Lauren Winfield invited Kent to bat. Brunt versus Beaumont promised to be a battle for the connoisseur, but the Kent skipper lasted four balls, pinned lbw. Her partner Alice Davidson-Richards needed 28 balls to make 4. A total of 121 looked well under par, but the table-toppers stuck to their guns with accurate bowling. In the end Yorkshire found themselves an agonising 6 runs short of victory.

A day later

Good news for the two winless counties: Warwickshire beat Surrey by 7 wickets, thanks to a commanding hundred by Amy Jones (101*), well supported by Marie Kelly (59). Hampshire broke their duck with two wins over the weekend. On Sunday they rolled over Warwickshire for 109 to gain a welcome first victory. The next day the captain Katie George hit her highest score of 80 to steer her side to victory at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire. Suzie Bates (69) helped her in a decisive partnership of 117.

Lancashire v Kent

It’s accepted wisdom that you put the other side in when rain has intervened. On Sunday it happened to both matches in the north; both decisions proved wrong – by the tightest of margins.

Come Monday, and Tammy Beaumont decided on the same policy for Kent. Lancashire worked hard to reach 161; none of the top order could play a decisive innings against a Kent attack that proved difficult to get away. After Laura Marsh had done her usual parsimonious job, two more off-spinners, Megan Belt and Kalea Moore (a 15-year-old debuting as a bowler), followed her example well. Another youngster, Chelsey Rowson, showed her all-round skills by bowling a really tight spell of medium pace to take 4-24.

The pitch was playing tricks, and Sophie Ecclestone and Alex Hartley were the spin pair to cause Kent plenty of problems. Rash shots cost wickets, and it took the experience of Fran Wilson (54*) and Laura Marsh (22*) to see the visitors home.

Kent now have a perfect record of six wins out of six. The coaches and captain won’t claim they are the finished article, but they maintain good standards in the field, have a range of accurate bowlers and don’t depend solely on their captain to post the necessary totals.

Scores:

Sunday 26 May

Hampshire 111-3 beat Warwickshire 109 by 7 wickets
Kent 121 beat Yorkshire 116-7 by 5 runs
Notts 231-6 beat Surrey 173 by 58 runs
Sussex 135-7 beat Lancashire 132-9 by 3 runs

Monday 27 May

Lancashire 161 lost to Kent 162-4 by 6 wickets
Notts 176 lost to Hants 177-4 by 6 wickets
Surrey 195-9 lost to Warwick 199-3 by 7 wickets
Yorkshire 190-9 beat Sussex 139 by 51 runs

Division One Table after 6 games

Spotlight on leading performances:

There were strangely few on Sunday –
Bryony Smith 106
Sarah Bryce 55
Nancy Harman 4-0-16-4
Providence Cowdrill 5-0-19-4

but a few more on Monday –

Amy Jones 101*
Katie George 80
Suzie Bates 63*
Jenny Gunn 62*
Marie Kelly 59
Leigh Kasperek 58*
Fran Wilson 54*
Chelsey Rowson 9.2-1-24-4

In addition two England players, skipper Heather Knight (Berkshire) and Sophia Dunkley (Middlesex), scored big hundreds in Division Two.

Kent opened their account with a 49-run win over Notts at the Polo Farm Ground Canterbury.
It’s vital for any team not to panic when the top batter goes relatively cheaply. Skipper Tammy Beaumont made only 16, but the next four all chipped in, adding 147 between them. Maxine Blythin made an encouraging 43 on debut, and Laura Marsh showed her batting credentials with 55*.

Tash Farrant took two early wickets after the break and the visitors were indebted to Polly Inglis, the keeper, for a determined 49*, but Jenny Gunn, returning to her home county after a spell with Warwickshire, wasn’t able to stay long enough to guide Notts to victory, Megan Belt was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-20 with her off-spin.

Scores:
Kent 193-9
Notts 142

Fran Wilson (Photo: Bruce Perkins)

The weather for the next day at Beckenham was no better. Spectators were muffled up in their winter togs; the players weren’t.

Despite this, Warwickshire got off to the best of starts, Amy Jones and Bethan Ellis putting on a hundred. In this sort of form Jones is a glory to watch. Beckenham usually provides the plumbest of pitches, and the Kent bowlers must have wondered how they were ever going to take a wicket. Almost inevitably it was Marsh who began to weave her magic. Jones mistimed a shot for Fran Wilson, one of Kent’s new signings, to take the catch.

As so often happens, the next wicket followed at once, Kathryn Bryce falling to the first of Beaumont’s three catches, two of them very special.

The visitors reached a highly promising 194-4, but then the innings fell apart. Four wickets fell as they passed through the nervous 190s.

By the close of the innings Marsh had claimed a magnificent 5-36, and the fielders had supported her well.

Last year at Edgbaston, Beaumont hit a memorable 98. This year there was no Sophie Devine around to winkle her out, but she did mistime a stroke on 87 when apparently set for a ton. Sadly for Warwickshire Wilson took this opportunity to post her own first big score for the hosts (83). Together they put on 125.

Blythin came in at No 4 to partner Marsh to a convincing win by 7 wickets.

Scores:

Warwickshire 232
Kent 233-3

This was a disappointing result for Warwick after their narrow loss the previous day to Sussex at Brighton College. They take on Yorkshire next time round.

Other Results in Division One
Sunday May 5

Lancashire 179
Hampshire 163

Yorkshire 118
Surrey 119-2

Warwickshire 165
Sussex 167-9

Monday 6 May

Yorkshire 190
Hampshire 131

Surrey 241-7
Lancashire 242-9

Notts 150
Sussex 127

The Red Rose Women’s 1^st XI went into the final round of fixtures in the Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship Division 1 with a slim chance of lifting the title needing to win both of their games and hoping for results elsewhere to go their way.

Lancashire Women Defeat Notts in the Penultimate Game

The first game of the weekend saw them host Nottinghamshire at Heywood and resulted in an impressive win by 63 runs to keep their hopes alive.

Having won the toss and batted Lancashire Women got off to a solid start as Emma Lamb and Evelyn Jones added 62 for the first wicket before Emma was caught for a fine 33. Amy Satterthwaite then came in to join Jones and together they took the score up to 107 when Amy was dismissed for 21. Wickets then started to fall with some regularity and despite Jones hitting an excellent 62 they found themselves on 145-9. Rachel Dickinson joined Shachi Pai and together they took the score up to a more useful 171 all out with Dickinson making 18.

The Notts reply never really got going as they lost wickets at regular intervals and soon found themselves on 22-5. Sophie Ecclestone bowled superbly to take 4/19 with the rest of the bowlers backing her up well, and it was only thanks to a last wicket stand of 40 that Nottinghamshire managed to edge over the 100 mark to finish all out on 108.

Scorecard -> Lancashire Women win by 63 runs

Lancashire Women Victorious against Warwickshire

Bank Holiday Monday saw the girls travel down to the Edgbaston Foundation Ground knowing that they effectively needed to get a maximum points win over fellow title chasers Warwickshire and hope that Nottinghamshire could do Lancashire a massive favour by defeating Yorkshire comprehensively.

The home side won the toss and decided to bat on a glorious sunny day against the bowling of England pair Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross. Ecclestone bowled quite brilliantly and was soon among the wickets quickly grabbing 4 wickets and adding a catch off Cross for good measure to leave Warwickshire 27-5. Cross then grabbed a 2^nd before a 7^th wicket stand of 26 which threatened to start a recovery. Natalie Brown cut that short before Ecclestone returned to help mop up the tail and finish with remarkable figures of 10-5-12-6. Cross taking the final wicket to finish with 3/33, Warwickshire were dismissed for just 88.

Warwickshire came out fighting and took 3 early wickets to leave the game in the balance at 21-3. Ellie Threlkeld joined Eve Jones and together they took the score to 59 before Threlkeld was stumped for 15. Cross came in and rattled up a quick 19 before holing out and it was left to Ecclestone to administer the final blows with 2 quick boundaries. Jones had played an invaluable unbeaten 35 to anchor the innings.

Scorecard -> Lancashire Women won by 5 wickets

News comes in to confirm Lancashire Women as Champions and Double Winners

An anxious wait for news from Welbeck then ensued as Nottinghamshire chased Yorkshire’s total of 178 and eventually word came through that they had won by 6 wickets and Lancashire were confirmed as champions.

Dan Atkinson, Head Coach for Lancashire Women, said: “I’m incredibly proud of this group of girls who have worked so hard all year. It’s probably fair to say that we weren’t expecting to finish the season with any silverware, as our primary aim at the start was to consolidate our position in the top tier of the Royal London 50 overs championship, but to win both the NatWest T20 and now the Royal London county championship is an unbelievable achievement.

“Going into the last game, we knew what we needed to do to stay in contention and challenge for the title but so much was out of our control relying on Nottinghamshire to beat Yorkshire by a healthy margin. We played excellent cricket against Warwickshire to secure our win with full bonus points but it made for a very nervy journey home, checking social media every ten seconds to see how the Notts girls were getting on! When news came through that Notts had defeated Yorkshire by 6 wickets the feeling was amazing.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the girls for their hard work and determination over the summer, to Meg Fairclough for her leadership on the pitch this year and thanks to everyone else who has contributed in the background to this season.”

A terrific team effort as Lancashire Women win the Royal London One-Day Championship by 1 point ahead of Yorkshire. The team led by skipper Meg Fairclough backed by coach Dan Atkinson and his staff has seen the team pull off the double as both 50 and 20 over 1^st Division champions – the first top level trophies ever won by Lancashire Women.

Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship Division 1 -> League Table

NWT20 = NatWest Women’s County T20 Division 1 -> League Table

Report courtesy of Lancashire Cricket Board

First Team Captain Megan Fairclough from Egerton CC, Bolton has new recruits Evelyn Jones and New Zealand Women’s Amy Satterthwaite to offer strength and depth with the bat along with spin options from England Women’s Alex Hartley.

Home grown Lancastrian and England Women’s pace bowler Kate Cross will continue to add plenty of experience to the squad. Amy Satterthwaite, New Zealand and Lancashire Thunder player, is a major signing as the overseas player and will add a wealth of knowledge and experience of white ball cricket to the squad.

Additionally, LCB Women will have England Senior Academy players Emma Lamb, Ellie Threlkeld, Evelyn Jones and Sophie Ecclestone to offer good options with bat, ball and behind the stumps. 4 girls who have played in the LCB Girls County Age Group squads have graduated to the senior squad for the first time in 2017, these include fast bowler Ella Telford, batters Rebecca Duckworth and Evie Priestley and wicket keeper Georgie Holt.

Daniel Atkinson, LCB Women Head Coach, said: “All of the women have worked really hard this winter and are looking forward to the start of the outdoor season on Sunday. It really shows how many high quality senior women we have around the system now, that we can put out two strong teams on the opening day of the season with some of our senior internationals still away.

“I know the team are really looking forward to the season ahead and the challenges that it will bring and that competition for places will be fierce, which is something that we have aimed for, for quite a while.

“We are really excited to welcome our new signings and we hope to challenge in the top flight of both the Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship (Division 1) and NatWest Women’s County T20 (Division 1).”

Full squad including numbers:

Megan Fairclough – Captain (4) – Egerton CC [Right arm bowler]

Natalie Brown (10) – Sutton CC [Right hand batter]

Eleanor Threlkeld (21) – Rainford CC [Wicket-keeper]

Bhumika Doshi (14) – Egerton CC [Right hand batter]

Nalisha Patel (15) – Horwich RMI CC [Right arm off spinner]

Emma Lamb (6) – Bramhall CC [Right hand batter]

Hannah Jones (7) – Didsbury CC [Left arm spinner]

Jessica Couser (9) – Walmley CC [Right hand batter]

Laura Jackson (22) – Maghull CC [All-rounder]

Laura Marshall (12) – Lindal Moor CC [Right hand batter]

Rachel Dickinson (17) – Burscough CC [Right arm seamer]

Sophie Ecclestone (19) – Chester Broughton Hall CC [Left arm spinner]

Kate Cross (16) – Heywood CC [Right arm seamer]

Shachi Pai (18) – Egerton CC [Right hand bat]

New to the squad for 2017:

Evie Priestley (25) – Todmorden CC [All-rounder]

Georgie Holt (27) – Lowerhouse CC [Wicket-keeper]

Rebecca Duckworth (26) – Penwortham CC [Right hand batter]

Evelyn Jones (3) – Whitchurch CC [Left hand batter]

Alex Hartley (8) – Clitheroe CC [Left arm spinner]

Ella Telford (5) – Penrith [Right arm seamer]

Amy Satterthwaite (11) – Overseas player (New Zealand Women) [Left hand batter and right arm off spinner]

For the opening fixtures in the Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship Division 1 this bank holiday weekend Atkinson has named the following players:

Middlesex on 30 April: Fairclough (captain), Brown, Ecclestone, Threlkeld, Telford, Satterthwaite, Jackson, Patel, Priestley, Dickinson, Duckworth, Pai.

Berkshire on 01 May: Fairclough (captain), Brown, Ecclestone, Threlkeld, Telford, Satterthwaite, Jackson, Patel, Lamb, Jones, Dickinson, Duckworth, Pai.

Full list of fixtures for LCB Women First Team available below:

RL = Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship Division 1

NWT20 = NatWest Women’s County T20 Division 1

The LCB Women Second Team has also been selected for Sunday 30 April v Yorkshire at Widnes CC 11:00am start, the squad will be: Alice Clarke, Danielle Collins, Jessica Couser, Sophie Heaton, Hannah Jones (captain), Georgie Holt (wicket-keeper), Rosh Navaratnam, Millie Hodge, Kate Coppack, Anjalie Singh, Eve Whaling, Kathryn Jackson.

Photo shows LCB Women squad:

FRONT ROW

Emma Lamb, Alex Hartley, Kate Cross, Megan Fairclough, Natalie Brown, Jessica Couser, Ellie Threlkeld

MIDDLE ROW

Michael Cregan (Scorer), Chris Chambers (Assistant Coach), Laura Marshall, Shachi Pai, Evelyn Jones, Rachel Dickinson, Sophie Ecclestone, Nalisha Patel, Ella Telford, Daniel Atkinson (Head Coach), Jen Barden (Manager)

BACK ROW

Rebecca Duckworth, Georgie Holt, Evie Priestley, Christina Carr (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Laura Jackson, Bhumika Doshi, Hannah Jones

Report courtesy of Lancashire Cricket Board

22-year-old Smith, who is also in the England Academy and will shortly be going on tour to Abu Dhabi with England, was one of the stand out players in the Women’s Kia Super league last year for the Southern Vipers.

She helped the Vipers to win the inaugural Kia Super League title and claimed the best figures by any spinner in the whole tournament, taking 4 for 10 against the Yorkshire Diamonds.

Smith is set to play a huge part for Sussex’s quest for silverware in both the Royal London One-Day Cup and the NatWest T20 this season.

She said of her move to Sussex, “I am delighted to be joining Sussex and embracing a new challenge in a squad which has huge potential. I can’t wait to get started working with a new set of coaching staff and players in an ambitious and competitive environment to help my development. I hope we can achieve great things in the future.”

Sussex Women’s Head Coach James Anyon said, “Linsey is a great signing for us. She will have a key role to play and will strengthen our bowling department with her left-arm spin, as well as playing a part with the bat in our top order.

“Linsey has a lot of friends already in the Sussex side so she will fit in well and I believe she is a great character to have in the dressing room. I’m looking forward to working with Linsey and helping her develop her cricket further.”

The Sussex Women, who are sponsored by the Aldridge Foundation, will begin their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign on Sunday 30th April away to Nottinghamshire.

Report courtesy of Sussex Cricket

(To avoid any confusion it’s not the same as the Lancashire Thunder team which will compete in a new competition the Kia Super League designed to bridge the gap between county and international cricket for women.)

Sixteen players have been selected to form the core of the squad for the 2016 campaign where they will look to regain promotion to Division 1 in the Royal London Women’s One Day Championship and look to challenge teams in the Division 1 of the NatWest Women’s County T20 competition.

With the addition of Laura Jackson who played a season at Cheshire alongside playing Under 17 cricket for LCB Girls County Age Group in 2015 and Lauren Smith, Australian oversees player, the coaching staff feel there is good strength and depth in all departments.

2016 Squad

4. Megan Fairclough – Captain, Right Arm Medium Pace / RH Bat

16. Kate Cross – Vice Captain, Right Arm Medium Pace / RH Bat

6. Emma Lamb, RH Bat / RA Off Spin

21. Ellie Threlkeld, RH Bat / Wicket Keeper

10. Natalie Brown, RH Bat / Right Arm Medium Pace

2. Georgia Holmes, Right Arm Medium Pace / RH Bat

12. Laura Marshall, RH Bat

13. Lauren Smith – Oversees, RH Bat / Right Arm Off Spin

15. Nalisha Patel, Right Arm Off Spin / RH Bat

19. Sophie Ecclestone, Left Arm Spin / RH Bat

18. Shachi Pai, RH Bat / Right Arm Medium Pace

14. Bhumika Doshi, RH Bat / Right Arm Medium Pace

7. Hannah Jones, Left Arm Spin / RH Bat

9. Jess Couser, RH Bat

22. Laura Jackson, Right Arm Medium Pace / RH Bat

17. Rachel Dickinson, Right Arm Medium Pace / RH Bat

In the two warm up games it has been possible to give opportunities to 3 girls outside the squad due to England Academy commitments and workloads for some players. The three girls, Evie Priestley (Under 17s), Rebecca Duckworth (Under 15) and Georgie Holt (Under 15) all held their own and impressed the coaching staff with their attitude to the games.

Jenny Barden, Women’s and Girls Cricket Development Officer for the Lancashire Cricket Board, said: ” We as a squad are looking forward to putting in some consistent performances this summer, after being relegated in 2015 back to Division 2. We want to prove we can perform at the top level and with the squad only getting stronger we hope to do this. The T20 Division 1 games will be a good test of where we are at and give opportunities for players to stand up and be counted. I am keen to start to register the results on the board that reflects what the girls are capable of and enjoy working with this exciting group.”

Fixtures for 2016

Report courtesy of LCB

Ruairidh Barker, student from Lancaster Royal Grammar School got in touch with the LCCC Foundation to see if there was anything they could take on their cricket tour to Barbados for children in local schools and clubs that don’t have kit to play cricket. The LCB and Foundation felt Ruairidh’s genuine and heartfelt appeal was a good cause to support and have come together to donate old kit which will be taken by the students for their tour at the end of March this year.

Ruairidh currently plays for Cumbria Under 17s and has also been invited to Durham for winter training. He’s looking forward to their school tour which will be for Years 10 and 11.

He said: “2 years ago I went as the only Year 9 student and it was an incredible experience not only to play cricket there, but to also see a lot of local children from cricket clubs in the area. I saw that in certain schools and clubs we played a lot of the players had to share kit and the kit they used was quite old and worn out. This year we are going out with some of our own team’s old equipment, and as the captain of the team, I’m delighted that the LCB and Foundation have donated old kit to give to some of the disadvantaged children from the schools and clubs in Barbados.”

Bobby Denning, LCB’s Managing Director, said: “This is a fantastic gesture from Ruairidh and his team mates and it’s our absolute pleasure to support him. They are clearly exceptional young men to consider this as part of their tour. I personally wish them all the best for a successful tour, with great experiences, on and off the field.”

Sandy Mitchell, Head of Community Development for the LCCC Foundation, added: “The LCCC Foundation and LCB work in partnership on a number of projects, programmes and events across the North West, but to be able to come together to support children in countries that suffer far greater hardship than we could ever imagine is something we are proud of. If by helping to provide additional kit we can make a small difference to the lives of these young people then it is well worth doing. This is in addition to recent donations we have made to support projects in India and is an area of work we will look to expand on in the future.”

Photo above shows Ian Ledward of Lancaster Royal Grammar School picking up old LCB kit from Emirates Old Trafford.

Report courtesy of LCB

Both George and Emma received their awards at the annual Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB) Development of Excellence Presentation Evening for 2015 in association with the Lancashire Schools Cricket Association (LSCA) sponsored by Yellow Panther part of Industrial Space Solutions Ltd on Monday 30th November. The LCB and LSCA held their End of Season Awards ceremony for their Representative Youth teams in The Point at Emirates Old Trafford, with over 750 players, parents, guests and officials in attendance.

George, aged 15, performed to a high level all season. His ability to read games and get his team over the line was a credit to his skill levels. His batting was dynamic at times scoring 459 runs at an average of 98.80 with a high score of 98 against Surrey in the final, aligned with excellent performances behind the stumps. He represented the ECB North of England and after a successful prestigious Bunbury Festival was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. George plays his club cricket at Ormskirk CC and goes to Merchant Taylors School in Crosby, Liverpool.

Emma, aged 17, has had an exceptional year with the bat. She has put pressure on bowlers, dominated from the front, demonstrated hitting around the ground and showed resolve when it was tough. Scoring 741 runs at county age group level with an average over 100, she has also stepped up and played at England Academy level throughout the summer and opened the batting for LCB Thunder. As a player Emma doesn’t stand still with her game, always wants to go one step further and enjoys success. Emma plays her club cricket at Bramhall CC and goes to Cardinal Newman 6th Form in Preston.

The evening is aimed at celebrating and congratulating all involved with the LCB junior county age group squads, from players to coaches and officials to volunteers and parents. This year for the first time saw a positive addition to the evening with the successes of our county disability squads also celebrated.

The evening was compered by LCB Managing Director Bobby Denning and trophies presented by LCCC Cricket Director & Head Coach Ashley Giles.

2015 has been another outstanding year for the county with all the age groups taken together winning over 70% of all games. National success has been had by the LCB Under 15s Boys winning the Royal London Under 15 County Cup beating Surrey and the LCB Under 17s Girls winning the Royal London Girls Under 17 County Cup defeating Warwickshire. The LCB Physical Disability / Learning Disability squad were crowned champions of the British Association for Cricketers with Disability & ECB D40 County Championship defeating Shropshire.

Presentations were also made to those players who achieved significant milestones during the season including centuries, 5-wicket hauls / victims, hat-tricks and outstanding wicket-keeping performances (see the recipients of Trophies below).

Bobby Denning, LCB’s Managing Director, said: “We continue to pride ourselves on producing home grown talent linking our pathways into Lancashire County Cricket Club and this evening was about celebrating this.

“The game is about the players and I would like to congratulate all our representative players this evening. Wearing the Red Rose comes with responsibility on and off the field and I sincerely hope they all continue to strive to have the honour that comes with being a County Player. I am delighted that we recognised an important part of our work this evening, the LCB Disability Player Pathway.

“And finally it was pleasing to recognise key individuals who have had an impact on junior cricket over many years, at both grassroots and elite level in their former roles with the LCB. The contributions made by Geoff Ogden, Tony Crook, Ken Standring, Bill Robinson and Alan Maddocks has been significant.”

Stephen Titchard, LCB’s Performance Manager, said: “On behalf of the Lancashire Cricket Board I’d like to congratulate all the players that have represented LCB County Age Groups squads this year. These players are the best players currently playing within their age groups and we hope some of them will go on to represent Lancashire at the senior level.

“I would also like to thank the LSCA who work in partnership with us to deliver a comprehensive county age group programme, the LCCC Foundation for their continued financial support and the Lancashire County Cricket Club. Thanks to all the managers and coaches who help ensure these squads perform to their highest level.
“A special thanks to Yellow Panther for sponsoring our annual presentation evening this year and in particular Gunjan Parikh for enabling this to happen.”

Jennifer Barden, LCB’s Women & Girls Cricket Development Officer, added: “Once again a great showing from the female players in the County, a National Title, plenty of performances and even more girls playing County cricket than ever before! Well done to everyone for representing their County in 2015, some exciting talents moving through the pathway and we look forward to seeing them representing LCB Thunder in the years to come. It’s exciting times to be involved with women and girls cricket and we look forward to the future in Lancashire.

“Many thanks to all the volunteers, clubs, parents, players, officials who have all helped give these players the opportunity to represent their county.”

ANNUAL AWARDS 2015
CEDRIC RHODES PLAYER OF THE SEASON FOR GIRLS 2015
Emma Lamb
(LCB Girls Under 17s)

CEDRIC RHODES PLAYER OF THE SEASON FOR BOYS 2015
George Lavelle
(LCB Boys Under 15s)

PLAYERS OF THE SEASON FOR EACH AGE GROUP / DISABILITY SQUAD
Under 10s Boys: Jack Stanley
Under 11s Boys: Harry Singh
Under 11s Girls: Liberty Heap
Under 12s Boys: JJ Fielding
Under 13s Boys: Finlo Smith
Under 13s Girls: Daisy Mullan
Under 14s Boys: Sam Dorsey
Under 15s Boys: Rehan Udwadia
Under 15s Girls: Evie Priestley
Under 16s Boys: Nathan Jones
Under 17s Boys: Brad Woolley
Under 17s Girls: Emma Lamb
Under 19s Edwin Kay Trophy: Chris Laker
Under 19s John Appleyard Trophy (player of the year): Furqan Shafiq
LCB Deaf: James Dixon
Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired: Usman Afridi
LCB Physical Disability / Learning Disability: Tom Wilson

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES TROPHY WINNERS 2015
Bowling
Under 11s Boys: Rees Abbott (5 for 21 v Cornwall)
Under 11s Boys: Harry Singh (5 for 15 v Nottinghamshire)
Under 11s Girls: Amelia McKeown (7 for 23 v Staffordshire)
Under 12s Boys: Alex Selby (5 for 1 v Cumbria)
Under 12s Boys: Ben Walkden (5 for 12 v Nottinghamshire)
Under 13s Girls: Ella Smith (5 for 3 v Nottinghamshire)
Under 13s Boys Development: Chris Round (5 for 17 v Cumbria)
Under 14s Boys Development: Jack Morley (5 for 22 v North East Wales)
Under 15s Boys: Muhammed Ahmad (6 for 15 v Yorkshire)
Under 15s Boys: Cameron Lawrenson (6 for 12 v Gloucestershire)
Under 16s Boys: Dominic Stuart (5 for 55 v Durham)
Under 16s Boys: Nathan Jones (6 for 19 v Warwickshire)
Under 17s Girls: Hannah Jones (5 for 5 v Durham)
Under 17s Boys: Bradley Woolley (5 for 35 v Durham)
Under 19s Boys: Furqan Shafiq (7 for 68 v Derbyshire)
Under 19s Boys: Furqan Shafiq (5 for 31 v Yorkshire)
LCB Deaf: James Dixon (5 for 17 v Surrey)

Batting
Under 11s Girls: Liberty Heap (101 no v Staffordshire)
Under 12s Boys: JJ Fielding (156 no v Lincolnshire)
Under 13s Boys Development: Ben Mason (110 no v Warwickshire Development)
Under 14s Boys: Will Turner (100 no v Cumbria)
Under 15s Boys: Rehan Udwadia (111 no v Yorkshire)
Under 16s Boys: Taylor Cornall (134 v Cheshire)
Under 16s Boys: Ross Bretherton (101 no v Durham)
Under 17s Boys: Saad Khan (113 no v Cheshire)
Under 17s Girls: Emma Lamb (108 no v Durham)
Under 17s Girls: Emma Lamb (125 no v Yorkshire)
Under 17s Girls: Emma Lamb (106 v Staffordshire)
Under 19s Boys: Chris Laker (132 v Yorkshire)
Under 19s Boys: Harry Dearden (103 v Yorkshire)
Women’s Development: Emma Lamb (140 v Yorkshire)
Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired: Usman Afridi (283 no v Somerset)
Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired: Usman Afridi (171 v Warwickshire)
Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired: Usman Afridi (133 v Sussex)
Lancashire Lions Visually Impaired: Wasim Afridi (100 v Warwickshire)

Wicket Keeping
Under 19s Boys: Bradley Yates (6 Victims v Derbyshire)

Hat-tricks
Under 11s Girls: Amelia McKeown (v Staffordshire)
Under 12s Boys: Thomas Gunshorn (v Cumbria)
Under 12s Boys: Ben Walkden (v Gloucestershire)

Report courtesy of LCB

Alexia first began playing cricket in January 1992 at the age of 10 for her local side in Bexhill, and it was that same summer she then represented Sussex for the first time, progressing through the age group squads, before making her debut for the Sussex Women’s 1st XI in 1998. She then cemented her place as an all-rounder for 16 seasons and represented Sussex for 22 years.

She has won six County Championships with the Sussex Women and two T20 Championships, with the most recent being this season. Alexia was also captain of Sussex for two of the County Championship wins, in 2008 and 2010. She represented the England Academy, as a player and as a coach.

Known as ‘Crispy’ to her teammates, she was an aggressive, hard-hitting top-order bat and fast-medium pace bowler and an excellent fielder.

Off the pitch, Alexia has also played a huge part in development of cricket in Sussex, being a County coach for the Sussex girls’ squads for over a decade, as well as being a member of the Sussex WCA Committee and a Director of the Sussex Cricket Board, and she has helped Sussex be one of the leading counties in Women & Girls cricket.

Alexia also become the youngest, male or female, to complete the ECB Level 4 qualification, and now coaches all the County squads, currently fulfilling the role of Director of Cricket at the Aldridge Cricket Academy for Portslade Aldridge and Brighton Aldridge Community Academies.

Alexia said of her retirement, “Cricket has been a part of my life for over two decades, so deciding to retire was never going to be an easy decision but it is now the right time for the hugely talented youngsters to continue Sussex’s success without me. Playing for Sussex is a great honour for any cricketer so to represent the County for 22 years and to have completed 16 seasons in the 1st XI, and winning 9 major trophies along the way is something I am immensely proud of.”

“I want to thank every coach who has taken the time to work with me, my family and friends for their never-ending support and all the team mates I have been lucky enough to share so many memories with over the years. Good Old Sussex by the Sea!”

Sussex Captain Sarah Taylor said, “Alexia can look back at her career and be extremely proud. Her hard work and dedication on and off the field can only be admired. She has developed the next generation through coaching the age group girls and I hope that continues. The experience she brought to our side I know will be missed along with her attitude. I wish her all the best for her future and I hope she will be remembered as a legend of the Women’s game here at Sussex.”

Director of Sussex Women’s Cricket Charlotte Burton added, “Alexia is Sussex through and through, there has never been a more proud, passionate and dedicated player wearing the Sussex shirt than Alexia. She has been an outstanding player which shows with the amount of matches she has played.”

“We will miss Alexia on the pitch, but I know off the pitch, she is very dedicated in helping produce the next best players for Sussex and developing the Women & Girls game further for this County. We wish her all the best for the future and thank her for being part of the Sussex family and helping Sussex be one of the leading counties in the Country.”

Photo above shows Alexia Walker celebrating Sussex’s T20 win at Horsham on Sunday
(by Don Miles)