Softball a big hit with the ladies
Newport Cricket Club have been bowled over by the success of their recently-formed ladies’ section.
The club jumped on board with the Shropshire Cricket Board’s Prosecco Cricket initiative and are delighted with the response.
A taster session, run by Katie Rushton from the Shropshire Cricket Board, proved to be a big hit and things have kicked on from there with the club ending the summer by hosting their first softball tournament, which saw over 50 players from different clubs around Shropshire take part.
Newport’s junior co-ordinator and women’s softball organiser Blayney Beddow said: “To begin with, I was apprehensive with what uptake we would have.
“However, I was soon provided wrong when 18 ladies turned up for our first training session!”
The squad trained weekly on Thursday evenings with over 25 ladies taking part.
Beddow added: “The best thing about the women’s softball, is that it caters for all. All abilities, backgrounds, connections with the club, ages, shapes and sizes.
“Most of our ladies hadn’t played any team sports since school, let alone picked up a cricket bat.
“However since we have started our training sessions with Newport’s lead coach, Sam Davies and first team opening bowler, Nick Watkins,we can now all bat, bowl and field.
“For far too long, many of us women have spent many a Saturday sat on the sidelines of cricket fields around the county, now it’s our time to pick up the bat and ball, to show the men what we can do.”
The ladies have been further boosted by sponsorship from Floc Developments, which has enabled them to purchase a team kit for the festival matches.
Anyone wishing to join the club’s softball section can gain more information from Beddow by emailing Blayney.Beddow@gmail.com.
