Somerset Women cricket team

The Somerset Women cricket team is the women's representative cricket team for the English ceremonial county of Somerset. Somerset women's team have spent their entire time bouncing between Divisions 1 and 2; during which time the league structure has ranged between 4 and 9 teams per division. The best placed finish has been fourth (on more than one occasion). In terms of honour's Somerset have finished as Women's County Championship Division Two Champions on four occasions. In 2019 following relegation they again find themselves competing in Division Two. Whilst Championship success has eluded the team the County has had more reward in producing a steady stream of international players; probably the most well known being the current England vice-captain, Anya Shrubsole. 'Unfortunately International commitments and time pressures has meant that Anya has departed Somerset in 2019, and is now representing Berkshire.[1]

Somerset Women
Personnel
CaptainSophie Luff
Team information
FoundedUnknown
First recorded match: 1961
Home groundVarious
mainly North Perrott Cricket Club Ground, Taunton Vale CC & Bath Cricket Club (although others are used)

Honours
  • County Championship:
    • Division One, best finish - 4th place; 2006 & 2009 seasons
    • Division Two champions (4) – 2004, 2005, 2013, 2015
      • Division Two runners-up (3) – 2008, 2014, 2017
  • Woman's T20 League
    • Division Two champions (1) – 2015 & 2019

History

The first match that is recorded as being played by 'Somerset Women' was contesting in 1961, when the Somerset side hosted the Women's Cricket Association (WCA) at the British Cellophane Ground in Bridgwater. The WCA were at the time the women's equivalent of the MCC. The one-day, single-innings match was drawn with the WCA 1 run behind the total set by Somerset, with two wickets remaining.[2] After this match there are no more recorded until Somerset's entrance into the Women's County Championship in 2000. In previous years, the teams competing in the Women's County Championship had not corresponded directly with the men's counties sides, with East Midlands and Thames Valley among the teams that represented areas covering two or more counties. For the 2000 season, these teams no longer competed, being replaced instead with specific county sides. West of England women (sometimes just West women) became Somerset women. For their first season under their new guise, Somerset competed in Division Two of the championship, finishing third (out of six).[3]

Steph Davies directing the field as captain in 2010

Having done so in the 2000 season, Kath Wilkins continued as Somerset captain in 2001, when the club once again finished third in Division Two. Hannah Lloyd took over the captaincy for 2002, a season which saw Somerset drop to fourth in Division Two, where they remained in 2003. The following season saw an upturn in the club's fortunes, as they finished top of Division Two, winning four of their five matches.[4] The Australian, Jenny Wallace, finished with the competition's highest batting average, 121.00, making a highest-score of 93*,[5] as she shared a partnership of 155 with her captain, Lloyd, in a 47 run victory over Middlesex.[6] In addition to her part in that partnership, Lloyd had a successful season with the ball, taking 11 wickets in the competition, second only to Berkshire's Heather Booth.[7] Due to a reshuffle of the divisions, Somerset remained in a four-team Division Two for 2005, and once again finished as champions.[8] Somerset finished fourth of four in their first season in Division One during 2006, seeing them move straight back down to Division Two the following season. After a third-placed finish in 2007, Somerset finished as runners-up in 2008, enough to see them move into a newly expanded Division One for 2009.

With a young squad for 2009, the county targeted stability under new captain Steph Davies, settling for remaining in the top division. The bowlers performed consistently well throughout the season, although Anya Shrubsole suffered an injury which saw her miss much of the season. In contrast, the batting was troubled, with late partnerships frequently saving Somerset from trouble.[9] A pair of wins early in the season against Surrey and Berkshire helped the county to secure their target, eventually finishing in fourth, behind Kent, Sussex and Nottinghamshire.[10]

Current squad

Based on appearances in the 2019 season. Players in bold have international caps.

Current squad[11]
Name Nat Birth date Batting Style Bowling Style Notes
Sophie Luff England (1993-12-06) 6 December 1993Right-handedRight arm mediumClub captain
Cassie Coombes England (1998-11-05) 5 November 1998Right-handedRight arm medium
Nicole Richards England (1992-09-18) 18 September 1992Right-handedRight arm leg break
Lorraine Szcsepanski England (1997-07-11) 11 July 1997Right-handedRight arm off break
Emma Godman England (1997-01-19) 19 January 1997Left-handedRight arm off break
Natasha Wraith England (2001-10-03) 3 October 2001Right-handed—Wicket-keeper
Georgia Tulip England (1997-06-29) 29 June 1997Left-handedRight arm medium-fast
Lauren Filer England (2000-12-22) 22 December 2000Right-handedRight arm off break
Olivia Hamilton England (2001-02-28) 28 February 2001Right-handedRight arm off break
Tilly Bond England (2000-09-14) 14 September 2000Right-handedRight arm medium-fast
Naimh Holland EnglandUnknownRight-handedRight arm leg break
Hannah Capes England (2000-11-10) 10 November 2000Right-handed—Wicket-keeper
India Rose Owen EnglandUnknownRight-handedRight arm off break
Anna Parkinson EnglandUnknownRight-handedRight arm off break
Jess Hazell EnglandUnknownUnknownunknown

Many of the current and noted players (below) have graduated into the Women's team from the Somerset Girls squads.

Noted players

Inclusion is granted to; any Somerset player who has been the club's official captain, or has made appearances in the Super League or Big Bash, or has made international appearances.

  • Caroline Atkins (2012) - Played 9 Tests, 58 ODI's, 10 T20's for England
  • Sarah Collyer (2001–2002) – Played 7 Tests and 25 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for England
  • Steph Davies (2001–2012) – Captained the side from 2009 onwards, played 4 ODIs for England
  • Janet Godman (2000–2003) – Played 2 Tests and 7 ODIs for England
  • Laura Harper (2000–2006) – Played 6 Tests and 25 ODIs for England
  • Jackie Hawker (2000–2018) – Played 1 Test and 7 ODIs for England
  • Lizelle Lee (2015–16) - Played 1 Test, 76 ODI's, 62 T20's for South Africa.
  • Hannah Lloyd (2000–2009) – Captained the side from 2002 to 2008, played 5 ODIs for England
  • Sophie Luff ( 2010–present) – Club Captain, appearances for Western Storm the KSL
  • Anya Shrubsole (2009–2018) – Current England vice-captain. England appearances: Test 5, ODI 61, T20 63.
  • Izzy Westbury (2007–2012) – Played 1 ODI for Netherlands
  • Kath Wilkins (2000–2003) – Captained the side in 2000 and 2001, played 3 ODIs for England
  • Fran Wilson (2006–2014) – Current England International. England appearances:Test 1, ODI 23, T20 14.
  • Katharine Winks (2000) – Played 7 ODIs for England

See also

References
  1. "LV Women's County Championship 2010 Points Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  2. "Somerset Women v Women's Cricket Association". CricketArchive. 29 July 1961. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  3. "Women's County Championship 2000 Division Two Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  4. "Frizzell Women's County Championship 2004 Points Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  5. "Batting and Fielding in Frizzell Women's County Championship 2004 (Ordered by Average)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  6. "Middlesex Women v Somerset Women". CricketArchive. 25 July 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  7. "Bowling in Frizzell Women's County Championship 2004 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  8. "Frizzell Women's County Championship 2005 Division Two Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  9. Wyatt, Julian, "Somerset Women's Report 2009", in Walsh, Richard (ed.), Somerset County Cricket Club Yearbook 2009/10, Somerset County Cricket Club, p. 188
  10. "LV Women's County Championship 2009 Division One Table". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  11. "Somerset Women". Somerset Cricket Board. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
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