Women's cricket on the rise in Shropshire
As England celebrates the Lionesses success in the Euros it is not only football in which ladies are finding success.
Women's cricket is growing across the country. And one of the clubs that has a thriving women's section is Ellesmere.
The club has both a hardball and a softball women’s team as well as two senior mixed teams and mixed juniors.
It says that the mix of men and women is a huge asset.
Recently Ellesmere Cricket Club held its annual 'Anna's Game' day in memory of its much loved former ladies' captain.
As well as raising hundreds of pounds for the charity, MIND, the day also saw mixed teams play each other. Ellesmere Cricket Club president Sue Austin said: “I remember the amazing Rachel Heyhoe Flint who did so much for women’s cricket. She would be thrilled to see how many women and girls are now playing and enjoying cricket.”
The small pocket of Shropshire and North Wales shows how well Women's cricket is thriving. With teams at Chirk, Whittington, Frankton and Ellesmere, the latter being the first club in the County of Shropshire to boast two Women's Softball Cricket teams.
Lee Chadwick, Manager of the Women's section at Ellesmere Cricket Club is pleased with progress, "At Ellesmere CC we aim to provide a safe, enjoyable and competitive environment for the Women and Girls to improve and enjoy their cricket. We have an excellent buy in from senior players, both men and women, who give their time to coach the players. We have a range of ages, abilities and experience, and we are always looking to increase our numbers and welcome new players into the fold.
We are a family club, we have number of players who have passed the love of the game onto their kids who in turn are thriving in our junior sections, making the step to senior cricket when they are old enough. We currently have two, thirteen year old first team women's players who graduated from the junior teams, as well as players in their 50's and 60's which goes to show that age is no barrier when it comes to cricket.
Cricketer, Francesca Haywood said: "Any female player entering a predominately male dominated sport can find it to be a daunting and overwhelming experience.
"Ellesmere has been able to bridge that gap allowing players of all ages and abilities to join the club wherever they best fit in, be that in the women's first team or the senior second XI or even both."
