Howzat: Shropshire women's cricket gets dedicated hub, breathing new life into village ground

Former England international Laura MacLeod, Director of Women’s Cricket for Central Sparks opened not the bowling but the new venture at Whittington Cricket Ground on Friday.

The facilities, a first for women's cricket, could be rolled out across the UK over the coming years as the sport grows in popularity.

Whittington cricket men's side withdrew from the Shropshire League in 2016 season and recently sheep have been the only ones on the wicket.

Now the club, which still has an active women's team and lads and dads as well as a bowling club, has joined forces with Cricket Shropshire for the Women & Girls’ Hub at the site.

Eve Jones, who plays for the Central Sparks team, played cricket at Whitchurch for many years and coached in Whittington. She is delighted to see the facilities for the women's game.

"My sister and I used to go and play at Whitchurch with my Dad and we thought nothing about playing as part of the lads' team. But to have dedicated women's cricket now and such great facilities here is wonderful."

The ground will be the home of the Shropshire under 18s women's team. It's captain, Kate Brazier said in the past the team had played wherever there was a ground free.

"It is great to have somewhere to call our home," she said.

Cricket Shropshire Lead Officer Steve Reese said : “Whittington is a club which dates back to 1858, but cricket had not been played on site since September 2016 and the it only kept going as venue thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Bowling Club and its volunteers.

“The north west of the county had been identified in the most recent Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy as an area with considerable playing constraints around capacity, and most particularly in the rapidly growing Women and Girls game.

“There were minimal outdoor practice facilities in the area as well as match play.

“It was agreed to bring the site back to life to act as a hub for Women and Girls activity, which would include training and matches for the Shropshire Girls’ County Age Group sides.

The Parish Council provided grants for disabled toilet facilities and the Whittington bowls and cricket members have been involved in sprucing up the clubhouse.

Nigel Davies, one of those heavily involved in the move to establish the hub, said: "These are unique facilities and will help the economy of the area with teams coming here to train and to play."

"There is a real scarcity of good practice facilities particularly in this area and what we have here in Whittington can be hired by other clubs."