Cricket East

It was one win and one defeat as history was made at Orton Park Cricket Club in Peterborough with the first ever Beds and Hunts Ladies matches. With all women's cricket now in tiers the newly created team that was formed in January 2025 played their first ever match after numerous indoor and outdoor coaching sessions over the last 4 months. Led by Captain Emily Banks, the team have been put in tier 3 of the national structure and were playing Cornwall in the Vitality Blast Women's League Division 2 South Division and will also play play a series of T20 and 50/50 matches against a variety of other counties including Dorset, Oxfordshire and Cornwall.

After last weeks 50/50 match against Cornwall was cancelled due to bad weather a glorious spring day was had at Orton Park as Cornwall travelled north. Cornwall won the toss and decided to bowl first. The Beds and Hunts Ladies were soon in early trouble at 13-1 after just 3 overs. A partnership developed of 31 with opening bat Faith Teekasingh scoring 26 from 25 deliveries with 4 quality boundaries. However, when the talented teenager was dismissed 44-1 very quickly became 49-4. A solid rebuilding job was needed and middle order player Holly Reeder and captain Emily Banks got their heads down and rebuilt the innings with a crucial 5th wicket partnership of 44. Banks was bowled sweeping for 17 and one run later Reeder was dismissed for 26 from just 19 deliveries due to an excellent smart catch.

Beds and Hunts closed out on 110-9 from 20 overs. For Cornwall Karla Rose was the pick of the bowlers with the opening bowler taking 4-9 from 4 overs, with good support coming from change bowler Tilly Eldridge taking 2-22.

Chasing 111 to win, Cornwall had a great start and raced to 38-1 from 4 overs, A second wicket fell one run later with the score on 39 with a smart stumping from wicket keeper Amelia Jones. However, a few minutes later that was the end of the day for her as she sadly left the field due to a suspected fractured finger. Luckily for the home side they have two talented wicket keepers with Annie Banks playing today as just a regular batter. Banks junior donned the keeping gloves and was immediately in the game with the first time she touched the ball seeing her diving to her right taking a low one handed catch off the bowling of captain and older sister Emily. However despite this delight for the players and people watching Cornwall continued to dominate and moved along nicely to 92-3 needing just 19 to win. Two quick wickets from Eve Morgan pegged them back to 94-5 but with plenty of wickets in hand Cornwall just needed to keep their cool.

The equation became simple - 7 from 12 deliveries with 5 wickets in hand with Cornwall Captain Emily Edgcombe set on 50. Edgcombe had not given a chance from her 43 deliveries faced and had found the boundary 6 times with 5 exquisite fours and a huge six. However, her 44th delivery saw her undoing as a smart low catch from her opposite captain Banks at mid on from a good delivery from Lottie Taylor saw the away captain dismissed with just 5 to win. With Edgcombe back in the dugout the door was slightly ajar and it was all down to the last over 5 to win or 4 for a tie with Holly Reeder trusted to bowl it. Reeder removed two of the batsman with two inswinging yorkers and it came to the last ball with 2 to win or 1 to tie. The batter missed the ball and the players tried to run a bye but a direct hit executed by keeper Annie Banks saw the batter short by half a metre to see Beds and Hunts home.

The second T20 match also saw Cornwall win the toss and decided again to bowl first. The home side started well with Faith Teekasingh again leading from the front anchoring the innings with 35. Teekasingh was set for a big score but was run out with the bowler brilliantly deflecting the ball back on to the stumps seeing her just short of her ground. B and H finished on 107-6 from their 20 overs with a quickfire unbeaten 18 from Lottie Taylor helping boost the score past 100. Chasing 108 to win, Cornwall started well running quick singles and scoring plenty of boundaries. Both the opening bats Sanj Kang-Mullen and Evie Privett were set on 34 but the opening partnership of 72 was broken with another catch from captain Banks at mid on from the bowling of Reeder and Taylor bowling Privett with a ball that moved back in. 72-0 to 72-2 and then 84-3 many people watching were thinking could there be another dramatic collapse but Cornwall captain Edgcombe was determined not to see lightning strike twice and a calm unbeaten 17 from her from 11 deliveries saw her have a strike rate of 154.55 and more importantly see Cornwall to a 7 wicket victory with 37 balls remaining.

Plenty of positives for both counties with the next action for both teams in the T20 County Cup - the equivalent of the old Natwest Trophy which sees counties from any tier playing against each other in a knockout competition in May. On Monday 5th May Beds and Hunts head to Hitchin Cricket Club for a 1st round tie with the 2nd round and all the rounds through to the National Final being played on all the other Saturdays in May.

After the match Captain Emily Banks and Head Coach Andy Ward reflected on the teams performances and had the following to say.

Captain Emily Banks said "That she was really happy with the first win and it was a great start to a new era of womens cricket especially for Beds and Hunts. The girls worked really hard and the energy in the field was fantastic and in the first match Lottie Taylor and Holly Reeder kept really cool to bowl the crucial 19th and 20th overs. The second match we could have posted more but credit has to go to Cornwall who bowled and fielded really well. We now all look forward to the next game going to Hitchin next week to play Hertfordshire."

Head Coach Andy Ward said " It was a good day overall from a newly formed side with a number of new faces. The players have worked really hard over the winter and have had a chance to show their skills. 1 win and 1 defeat was probably a fair reflection with lots to work on but some good individual performances with bat and ball. The first match to win by 1 run was nervy for me and I couldn't really watch but the bowlers at the death were brilliant and got stronger and stronger with every delivery bowled at the end of the innings. Credit also to wicket keeper Annie Banks who perfomed that run out as she had no opportunity to warm up due to an unfortunate injury but also kept her cool with a catch and run out. We all look forward to the next game and all the matches that the team will play throughout the summer".

RESULTS - ECB NATIONAL TIER 3 SOUTH DIVISION:

SUNDAY 27TH APRIL 2025 - HELD AT ORTON PARK CRICKET CLUB:

BEDS AND HUNTS BEAT CORNWALL BY 1 RUN:

Beds and Hunts Women 110-9 from 20 overs. Holly Reeder 26 (3x4), Faith Teekasingh 26 (4x4) Emily Banks 17 (2x4). Karla Rose 4-9 from 4 overs, Tilly Eldridge 2-22 from 2 overs.

Cornwall 109-9 from 20 overs. Emily Edgcombe 50 (5x4 and 1x6), Joleigh Roberts 17 (2x4). Holly Reeder 2-18 from 4 overs, Eve Morgan 2-26 from 4 overs.

CORNWALL BEAT BEDS AND HUNTS BY 7 WICKETS:

Beds and Hunts Women 107-6 from 20 overs. Faith Teekasingh 35 (4x4), Lottie Taylor 18 not out (2x4). Tilly Eldridge 2-19

Cornwall 108-3 from 13.5 overs. Sanj Kang-Mullen 34 (6x4) Evie Privett 34 (6x4), Emily Edgcombe 17 not out (2x4). Holly Reeder 2-22 from 2 overs.