Rachael is a freelance writer providing articles on local cricket for Warwickshire Cricket Board and participation in sport generally. She is also the author of the Morvidus series of books for children based around cricket. I'm sure she won't mind me adding that she's also now known as the mother of Issy Wong, cricketer for Warwickshire, Central Sparks, Birmingham Phoenix and Rubix Cube demon.

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Continuing our series of articles about Women and Girls’ cricket, next up is a visit to Earlswood CC to find out how women and girls’ cricket has been incorporated into every aspect of club life.

It is over a decade since Amy Weir and Emily Perrin stepped out onto the pitch at Earlswood to represent the Earlswood U12 boys’ team. Fast forward ten years and both women have now graduated from university and been part of a journey that has seen women and girls cricket flourish as one of the core pillars of Earlswood CC. Amy Weir is now a member of the club’s management structure as Head of Women and Girl’s cricket driving participation at all ages and abilities and ensuring their needs and requirements are met as part of the wider club. There is even a separate female changing area at the ground, appropriately named ‘Girlswood’.

From just Amy and Emily starting out in the boys’ teams back then, Earlswood CC now has a thriving women and girls’ section, girls’ teams at U11, U13 and U15, two women’s teams, and about a dozen girls playing most weeks in the club’s Saturday teams, a number of female coaches, and, in Hannah Pettigrew, a female captain of the club’s 5th team. In the space of a decade the transformation has been impressive.

Earlswood CC Committee member Neil Thorne remembers vividly those first U12 matches where Amy and Emily played. “When Amy and Emily played in the junior sides, the boys could see them scoring runs and taking wickets, and they understood they were in the team as good cricketers. This acceptance has run through the club over the last decade. We purposely set out as part of our strategy to establish a culture which is accommodating to women and women’s cricket. Amy Weir and Emily Perrin have been excellent role models and have encouraged other female cricketers to make the move to Earlswood CC, as people could see they would get opportunities here.”

Earlswood CC has considered and covered every aspect of women and girls’ cricket. From the 50:50 girls and boys participation levels at All Stars level, all the way through to the softball sessions Amy runs for older women, every age group and need is catered for. What stands out most, perhaps, is the opportunities Earlswood CC has given many young women to play in their Saturday sides over the years. As well as Amy Weir and Emily Perrin, the list reads like a roll call of Warwickshire Women and age group cricket over the last decade - including Amy Dixon, Katie Brown, Maddie Church, Jess Crawley, Hannah and Lottie Pettigrew, Liv and Freya Plester, Ffion Purviss, Laura and Natasha Smitten, Holly Whitfield, and of course Marie and Sian Kelly. All have benefitted from participation at a club where so many women are encouraged to play and accepted in Saturday sides - playing what would have been traditionally called ‘men’s’ cricket.

Amy Weir talks enthusiastically about the progression she has seen in the game. “We used to get so many comments when we first played alongside the men, but it’s so much better now we have more women and girls playing in our teams and in opposition teams. There is progression for everyone, whether they want to play women’s cricket or with the men. Our coaching is also geared up for everyone to make the transition into hardball cricket if they want to.”

Amy has had the backing of a very forward thinking management committee at Earlswood CC, and is modest about her own considerable role in developing women and girls’ cricket at Earlswood CC. It doesn’t take long for the young women she is coaching to divulge the true extent of Amy’s own contribution and the value of her individual style. Eva Billingham and Carys Rowland describe how Amy is a helpful, considerate and enthusiastic leader in the following ways;

• Actively using WhatsApp groups to invite players to numerous training sessions, events and activities,
• Coaching and helping in the nets, assisting with the execution of a particular shots, for example,
• Giving praise when someone has played well or developed a new skill. Eva explains, “The praise means much more from such a good player”,
• A “chilled and calm” management style. For example, when the women’s team lost their first match of the season, Carys describes how Amy’s reaction was not to be angry but to encourage the team to continue enjoying their cricket and have faith - “We’ll bring it back over the rest of the season.” Amy then helped the team work on improving aspects of the game which went badly and emphasising what went well, with successful results for the rest of the season.
• Eva Billingham mentions how Amy is understanding of work shifts and will often arrange training accordingly to accommodate those working on shifts.

Carys and Eva’s own journeys in cricket are in keeping with the ethos of women and girls’ cricket at Earlswood CC. Carys, aged 16, moved to Earlswood CC two years ago and enjoyed being the third highest wicket-taker in the league when she played her first season, aged 14, with the Earlswood 5th XI. Playing for the 4th XI this year, Carys says - “It’s a great environment to play in” - and enjoys being able to play for an Earlswood Saturday side as well as the women’s team on Sundays.

Eva Billingham is 19 and played in Warwickshire county age groups when she was younger but then took a four year break from cricket during her GCSEs and A levels. She says, “I realised during lockdown that I enjoyed the sport, playing for a team with friends. These are nice people to come back to and I enjoy the social aspect as well as the game.”

So, how are the next Amy Weirs and Emily Perrins coming along? The girls at U11 training are hugely enthusiastic about their cricket and all jump up and down, offering their positive comments at the same time!

• Freya (aged 10) – “I love it here. I like batting and scoring 6s and 4s.”
• Hannah (aged 10) – “I like cricket a lot. I started playing because my friends were playing, and I love batting.”
• Swamini (aged 8) – “I played cricket at home. Then I came to Earlswood, and I have made new friends. I like batting and bowling.”
• Gwen (aged 7) – “I love playing with my friends. I have fun and All Stars is great.”
• Morwenna (aged 5) – “I like bowling and knocking the wickets over.”

The future looks bright for the continuation of the great tradition of women and girls’ cricket at Earlswood CC. Remembering how Amy Weir and Emily Perrin walked out to play as under 12s, the rate of change over the course of a decade has been incredible. As a result of the support given to Women and Girls’ cricket at all levels, Earlswood CC has developed a well-deserved reputation for one of the leading clubs in the West Midlands for inclusivity. Congratulations to everyone involved and continue the great work.

Original article