A half-century of Middlesex Women’s past and present honoured at match

SATURDAY marked a special day for women’s cricket at Middlesex.

At Lord’s Cricket Ground, during the mid-innings interval of England Women’s latest One Day International against India Women, more than 50 past and present players of the club were presented with ceremonial club caps in honour of their playing achievements in List-A cricket for Middlesex Women.

On behalf of Middlesex Cricket, the club’s chairman Mike O’Farrell, president Mike Selvey and Middlesex’s director of cricket development Angus Fraser were at Lord’s on the hallowed turf in front of the famous Lord’s Pavilion to present each player with their numbered club caps.

Official List-A domestic records began in the women’s game in 1980, when the Women’s Area Championship began, before it then switched to the Women’s County Championship in 1997. Since the inception of county List-A Women’s cricket in 1980, more than 150 players have since represented the club in the one-day format of the game, and more than 50 of them attended Lord’s to receive their ceremonial caps.

Five of the women who featured in Middlesex Women’s very first List-A clash, when they beat Thames Valley Women at

Westwood Park in Little Chalfont by 192 runs, were in attendance at Lord’s on Saturday, and Rosamund Heggs, Glynis Hullah, Valerie Castle, Susan Boardman and Catherine Mowat were duly presented with caps numbered 3, 6, 7, 10 and 11 – to represent their positions in the batting order in Middlesex’s inaugural Women’s List-A fixture.

Middlesex Women went on to win the Women’s Area Championship in that inaugural year of List-A domestic cricket in 1980 and defended their crown when repeating the feat in 1981, before securing the title again in 1985.

Three Championship titles in six seasons saw Middlesex Women excel in the early eighties, in what was a golden era of women’s cricket for the club.

The cap presentation comes after Middlesex Cricket unveiled a Wall of Fame in the Middlesex Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground earlier this season, when nine Middlesex Women’s players were honoured for their achievements as players for the club, when O’Farrell unveiled the dedicated women’s installation – it was great to see seven of them back at Lord’s on Saturday to receive their ceremonial caps.

Kari Carswell, head of women’s cricket, said: “We are delighted and proud to be able to recognise and reward the achievements of all players who have represented the club in List-A cricket, and today’s cap presentation was a fitting way to honour them.

“Earning a club cap has always been a highlight of any players’ career, and we wanted to ensure that Middlesex Women’s players also had the opportunity to receive this honour, having represented their county at the highest level of domestic cricket.

“Our congratulations go to all players past and present who have earned their ceremonial caps, and on behalf of everyone at Middlesex we thank them for all they have done for Middlesex Cricket.”