GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S super successful seniors section is set to expand again … with the addition of its first women’s over-40s team.
Two training sessions have taken place, one in Gloucester and one at the Seat Unique Stadium.
And a squad has now been announced for a historic first ever game – a 20-over friendly against Wiltshire at Oldlands, near Berkeley, on June 5.
Razi Ahmed, the chair of Gloucestershire Seniors, said: “When I took over the role, one of the ambitions agreed by the new committee was to get a women’s team off the ground as part of our five-year strategy so I am very pleased that we’ve managed to make it happen in year two.
“Thank you to everyone for their support, especially Charlotte Moore, the Women & Girls Development Manager at the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation.
“The response has been fantastic. We’ve already registered 26 players from around a dozen clubs covering the whole county so it’s very clear that the demand for the team is there.
“Players include ex-county women players, long-standing players who have taken part in both men’s and women’s cricket for years as well as some women who have developed and transitioned from soft ball cricket through their love and passion for the game.
“My next challenge is to encourage our neighbouring counties to do the same so that we can hopefully, in time, establish a similar championship to the one the men’s teams take part in.
“As well as Wiltshire, Somerset are also keen on home and away friendlies this year, and we’re hoping to interest others in doing the same.“I am super delighted with this achievement and I hope we can grow the women’s seniors game from strength to strength in the years to come.”
Clare Caudle-Stephens, who has been named in the team to face Wiltshire, travelled from Tewkesbury to Gloucester and also Bristol to take part in both training sessions.
She said: “I grew up with cricket as my grandfather, father and brother all played for Tewkesbury.
“I was a coach before I began playing, I started out by running All Stars at the club and then decided to take my Level One and then Level Two so I could coach.
“We introduced a women’s softball team in 2022 and then moved on to entering a side in a hard ball league.
“I never thought when I finally started playing, at the age of 42, that four years later I might have the chance to play for Gloucestershire!
“It’s a wonderful opportunity. I’m always trying to improve and I enjoy being around like-minded people who think the same way.”
Maria Fowler, of OB Westbury, will skipper the side at Oldlands with Madi Pavey-Edwards named as vice captain.
Gloucestershire v Wiltshire: Maria Fowler, Clare Caudle-Stephens, Emma Phillips, Georgina Hitchings, Kat Buckland, Kay Moore, Kelly Armfield, Lucy Wilkes, Madi Pavey-Edwards, Trudy Bartlett, Victoria Edmunds.
