As part of the SCB’s Women’s & Girls player pathway, players who gain success and show talent at both clubs and schools can progress towards county age group cricket. Shropshire is now making its mark on the national scene as the age group sides continue to make a name for themselves against strong opposition. 2012 saw the introduction of Shropshire’s first ever Girls Emerging Player Programme – supporting talented female cricketers at the top of the pathway to develop their games with the view to succeeding and developing into ECB performance squad players. - (TOP)

Those who are eligible for trials

• Girls who play for a Shropshire based cricket club • Girls who go to school in Shropshire • Girls who live in Shropshire

U11 County Squad - A newly developed squad for winter 2012 on the back of the success of the inaugural girl's u11 club festival format in 2011. This squad was developed to provide a means of development and high quality coaching for those who may have only recently taken up cricket or for those who are progressing towards competing in the ECB u13s county competition. The summer of 2012 saw the u11s play their first ever competitive fixtures as well as attending the Malvern u11 county competition.

View the U11 County Squad, gallery and fixtures - (TOP)

U13 County – a squad that has grown in stature in recent years following on from the increase in interest in competitive girls’ cricket. In 2012, the SCB u13s competed in the performance division of the ECB u13s County Championship where they scored impressive victories against Cheshire and Yorkshire. The squad also attends the Malvern u13s county festival each summer.

View the U13 County Squad, gallery and fixtures - (TOP)

U15 County – like the u13s, the u15 squad also compete in the ECB County Championship and were winners of their development league in 2012 with a 100% record. The squad also competed in the first ever ECB u15 Twenty20 competition in 2012.

View the U15 County Squad, gallery and fixtures - (TOP)

U17 County – the SCB u17s girls entered the ECB u17 Twenty20 competition in 2012 and will look to re-establish themselves in the ECB u17 county championship in 2013. Players from the u17s squad train alongside the SCB women’s squad.

View the U17 County Squad, gallery and fixtures - (TOP)

Women's Team – the SCB women’s squad continues to go from strength to strength and was unfortunate to miss out on promotion from the ECB County Championship Division 4 West in 2012. A young squad which incorporates many talented players from both the u15s and u17s squad, they will be looking to rise up the divisions in coming seasons.

View the Womens' County Squad, gallery and fixtures - (TOP)

Shropshire Girls Emerging Player Programme – following a pilot programme in early 2012, the SCB (with support from a Sport England Small Grants application) introduced one of the few dedicated girls only Emerging Player Programmes in the country. The programme involved 10 players aged 12-16 who were involved with SCB County Age group sides. The players involved in the programme in 2012 were as follows:

Grace Smith, Lucy Arnold (Worfield CC), Rachel Chesters (St Georges CC), Megan Griffiths (Quatt CC), Zoe Griffiths, Katie Green, Lara Jones (Alberbury CC) Hannah Young, Rachael Howells (Wellington CC) Dana Slack (Old Wulfs CC)

Lady Taverners - Shropshire Schools and clubs will once again be entering into the Lady Taverners' competitions in 2013. Lady Taverners consists of both the indoor competition, which will be entered by schools at u13 and u15 age groups and the outdoor competition which will be entered by clubs at u11, u13 and u15 age groups.

Teams initially compete in the Shropshire competition, with those successful progressing to the regional and potentially national finals day. To learn more about the Lady Taverners charity, please visit their website.

Lady Taverners Indoor

SCB Lady Taverners Under 13 & Under 15 Indoor Competitions

The SCB Lady Taverners Indoor competitions offer many girls their first opportunity to play competitive cricket in a fun, fast paced and inclusive format. The indoor competitions which are open to all schools in Shropshire are generally run during January/February (regional qualifiers) with the county finals held at Shrewsbury Sports Village during early March. Schools are required to enter teams of 8 players, with the county winners then progressing to the Midlands finals.

Bridgnorth Endowed (right) and Thomas Telford (left) who were the 2011 Lady Taverners u13 finalists.

For enquiries about the SCB Lady Taverners competitions, including school entries,
please email: Steve Aston (Competitions Manager).

Lady Taverners Outdoor

U11 softball – introduced for the first time in 2011, the u11s competition is run on a regional basis (North Shropshire & Central Shropshire) with clubs then progressing to the county finals. The softball competition is introductory and allows newcomers their first chance to take part in competitive cricket in an inclusive and supportive environment.

U13 softball - The under 13 sotfball competition is run on a regional basis, with teams from Central Shropshire and North Shropshire playing a festival format. The top 2 sides from each region then go forward to compete in the Shropshire finals day with the eventual winners progressing to the Lady Taverners regional final.

U13 & u15 National hard ball – the new competition introduced in 2012 by the ECB allowed clubs to enter a centrally co-ordinated hardball cricket competition. This provided a means of challenging cricket for girls who have progressed from softball cricket and are moving towards county age group participation. In 2012, Alberbury CC from North Shropshire were runners up in the national final – a fantastic achievement for a club who has only recently developed a girls section.

If you are interested in joining a club with a girls section, please refer to the club contact details document in the download section which provides a list of email and phone contact details for club women’s & girls co-ordinators. - (TOP)

With the interest in women’s and girls’ cricket as a whole increasing in the county, there are a number of SCB affiliated clubs who are now offering coaching and competition for females. There is a level for everyone, whether you are a person who has never picked up a cricket bat before or someone who would like to be involved in regular competition. If you are a keen enthusiast, parent, older sister and just someone who wants to try their hand at a new sport – clubs are always open to new interest! At present, the following clubs offer opportunities for women’s coaching and competition; however there are more clubs looking to expand into this area in 2012/13 and onwards. Please refer to the club women’s and girls’ contact document for full details of where to get in touch:

Quatt CC – have 1st & 2nd XI teams who enter the Women’s Midlands League and also a women’s training night and Quatt Rounders club which links in with the women’s cricket group.
Forton CC – have a women’s 1st XI who enter the Women’s Midlands League.
Worfield CC – have a women’s coaching group and have played their first inter club fixtures (soft and hardball) in 2012, with a view to entering the Women’s Midlands League in 2013.
Shifnal CC - have a women’s coaching group and have played their first inter club fixtures (softball) in 2012, with a view to entering the Women’s Midlands League within the next 2 seasons.
St Georges CC – have a women’s training group and have entered SCB softball competitions.
Madeley CC – have started a women’s coaching group with a view to entering women’s festivals in 2013.

- (TOP)

Shifnal CC was host to the first ever women’s softball ‘Easy Cricket’ festival on August 26th 2012, an occasion which marked the first steps into competitive cricket for many of the females who were present on the day. 25 ladies across 4 different teams played in the event, with representatives from Worfield CC, St Georges CC, Shifnal CC and The Pink Panthers.

The day was a huge step forwards for women’s cricket in the county and serves as a stepping stone for the growth of this competition in the future. To view video footage and interviews from players on the day, please click here. - (TOP)