England international is the new NSSCL president

ENGLAND Women’s international Danielle Wyatt is the new president of the North Staffs and South Cheshire League.

The 29-year-old replaces Williamson in the role.

Wyatt, pictured, from the Westlands in Newcastle, started her cricket journey at Whitmore at the age of eight - and has progressed to become an England regular.

She says she is honoured to be appointed and wants to inspire local juniors, especially girls, to play cricket.

“I want to help grow their confidence, to show them it is possible to make a career out of professional sport, even from a local club in Staffordshire,” she said.

“As part of this role I would love to help to support a club’s junior training sessions.

“It is where it all started for me, so to be able to put something back into the game locally so soon is something I am honoured to do.

“I recognise it has been a difficult season for club cricket. But if I can help to bring more resources, and profile to the game locally, then that will be brilliant.”

Stuart

After emerging through the Staffordshire system, Wyatt became the first England Women’s player to score an international T20 ton when she made 100 against Australia in November 2017.

She followed that up with a careerbest 124 against India in Mumbai just four months later.

Last year she scored her first one-day international century to help England to a convincing victory over Pakistan.

Wyatt, who plays for Sussex and Southern Vipers, blasted 110 in a 75run win in Kuala Lumpur.

To date, she has played 74 one-day internationals and 101 Twenty20 matches for England - and has also spent time in the Women’s Big Bash with Melbourne Renegades.

North Staffs and South Cheshire League chairman Gavin Carr said: “As a league, we wanted to appoint a local role model for all our cricketers, but especially the junior girls and boys coming into the game for the first time.

“Danni is a familiar face around the local circuit and what better way to recognise her achievements to appoint her as president.

“We have 45 clubs in our league, with over 2,100 players across all the teams, of which 540 are under 18.

“The under-18s are the future of our league and cricket, by appointing Danni, we believe that she can provide further inspiration to this generation to go on to great things.

“We recognise we need to move with the times and adapt, so following on from a successful trial in 2020, we are adjusting our league format to broaden its appeal both for spectators and players, and with having Danni as president will help promote cricket locally.”

The NSSCL will take on a new format next summer with half of the matches played on a straight win/lose basis, with the remainder including the traditional draw.

In 2020, all matches were played as win/lose after the league was forced to come up with alternative plans following a delay to the start because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs eventually played an 11-match season with no promotion or relegation.