Cricket Glos girls and women bowled over by Suspension Bridge chance
MEMBERS of Gloucestershire’s girls and women’s squads lifted cricket to new heights on Wednesday with what is thought to be the first game staged on the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Seven girls took advantage of annual maintenance on Brunel’s masterpiece and the lack of traffic to practise their batting and bowling skills to help publicise Women’s Big Cricket Month, which starts on June 1.
This ECB initiative aims to give more women and girls the chance to play, follow or attend cricket, and in Bristol it includes the staging of the England versus India women’s Test match at the County Ground, starting on June 16.
Laura Charles-Price, the GCB’s women’s and girls’ development officer, said: “This has been a brilliant opportunity to showcase our sport and the growing number of opportunities for young girls and women to play cricket.
“It definitely helps shine a light on the Women’s Big Cricket Month in June and the many different types of cricket that are now available across the county at all age levels. Today is a day these girls will remember for a very long time.”
Katie Dolman, a 17-year-old pupil at Clifton College who plays for Gloucestershire Women, said: “I got started through my family and have played since I was about eight.
“This experience is unheard of, no one has ever played cricket on the bridge before so it’s amazing for Gloucestershire cricket. It’s a really cool experience.”
Trish Johnson, the bridgemaster of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, said: “I’m not sure that there’s ever been any cricket played here before – and the bridge is 156 years old - so this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity!
“The bridge was closed for three days of annual maintenance, including inspecting the chains and clearing the drains, and we were very glad to be able to help.
“I’m a woman engineer and it’s great to see women getting into sport and science and doing just as much as the men do.”
» Gloucestershire Women are aiming to take the momentum gained from finishing top of the ECB’s County T20 South West Group into a series of friendly 50-over matches.
Rain prevented any play in Sunday’s scheduled double header against Dorset at Cheltenham College, and that meant Gloucestershire finished top of their group with an unbeaten record.
The county opened their campaign with a double triumph over Cornwall, and then had one match abandoned at the halfway stage against Oxford with the rain preventing any play at all in the second clash.
When the weather eased, Gloucestershire continued their fine form with two excellent successes over Devon.
There was disappointment that more rain prevented any play in the final double header of the series, against Dorset.
Head coach Jamie Diamond said: “It’s the first time we’ve won our league in four years so everyone is very pleased and proud of what we’ve achieved.
“The uncertainty over the season because of Covid meant that these leagues are the end of the T20 competition, but we now have a series of 50-over friendlies to look forward to.
“We will be selecting pretty much the same squad for these matches, and it’s a fantastic chance to keep working and improving in a different cricketing environment.
“The squad worked hard in the pre-season sessions at Cheltenham College, and that paid off when the matches started. I really believe that this is the strongest bowling attack we’ve ever had and we’re also very strong in the field in terms of intensity, ground fielding and catching. There’s work to be done on the batting, but I think the longer format will better suit some of our team as we bid to push on.”