Wales women's national cricket team explained

Wales
Captain:Lauren Parfitt
Ground:Various
including Spytty Park, Newport
Title1:WCC
Title1wins:0
Title2:T20 Cup
Title2wins:0
Website:Cricket Wales
First Wmatch:14 August 2005 v the Netherlands at Miskin Manor, Wales

The Wales women's cricket team is the Welsh team for women's cricket. They play their home matches at various grounds across the country, including Spytty Park, Newport and Pontarddulais Park, Pontarddulais. They are captained by Lauren Parfitt.[1]

As in men's cricket, Wales does not normally compete as a separate country internationally, instead being represented as part of the England team, but in 2005 they played in the European Championship tournament as it was being held in Wales. They finished in third place in the tournament.[2]

The team regularly participate in the English domestic county structure, and in 2019 they competed in Division Two of the final season of the Women's County Championship. They now compete in the Women's Twenty20 Cup.[3] They are partnered with the regional side Western Storm.[4]

History

Wales Women's first recorded match was in 2002, against Scotland, which they won by 7 wickets.[5] In 2004, Wales joined the English domestic county structure, competing in the County Challenge Cup: they finished 3rd in their group in their first season.[6]

Between 2008 and 2010, Wales went through an extremely successful era in the Women's County Championship, gaining three promotions in a row, from Division 5M, Division 4 and Division 3.[7] Ever since, Wales have played in Division 2 of the Championship, with their best finish of 3rd coming in 2018.[8] Since 2009, Wales have also competed in the Women's Twenty20 Cup. In 2018, they gained promotion from Division Two, finishing second with 7 wins from 8 games.[9] Overseas player Rachel Priest was key to their success, ending the season as the second leading run-scorer in the tournament, with teammate Gabrielle Basketter just behind her in third.[10] In 2019, their first season in Division 1, Wales finished 7th.[11] The following Twenty20 Cup season, in 2021, they finished 4th in the West Midlands Group with one victory, against eventual group winners Somerset.[12] They finished third in their group in the 2022 Women's Twenty20 Cup.[13] They also competed in the West Midlands Regional Cup in 2022, coming second in the initial group stage before beating Worcestershire in the final to win the inaugural edition of the competition.[14] In 2023, the side lost in the group final in the 2023 Women's Twenty20 Cup to Somerset, and finished third in the West Midlands Regional Cup.[15] [16]

Wales do not usually compete internationally, instead playing as a combined team with England. However, in 2005 they competed in the Women's European Championship, which was held in Wales.[17] They won two matches, against Ireland and Scotland, and placed 3rd out of 5 in the final table.[18]

Players

Current squad

Based on appearances in the 2023 season.[19]

NameNationalityBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batters
Rose Evans Right-handed
Ellie Hopkins 26 September 1996 Right-handed Unknown
1 April 1994 Right-handed Club captain
All-rounders
Lydia Clements 30 November 2004 Unknown Unknown
12 June 2002 Right-handed
Niamh Mansel Unknown Unknown Unknown
Charlotte Scarborough Right-handed
8 December 2004 Right-handed
Wicket-keepers
10 March 2001 Right-handed
Georgia Parfitt 1 September 1998 Right-handed
Libby Thomas 19 January 2004 Left-handed
Bowlers
Martha Bilsland Unknown Unknown Unknown
Emma Brazier 29 June 2002 Unknown Unknown
Madison Evans 28 November 2000 Unknown Unknown
Cerys Griffiths Unknown Unknown Unknown
Kelsey Hughes Unknown Unknown Unknown
Seren Hughes 30 October 2003 Unknown
Eve Jackson 20 May 2007 Unknown Unknown
Emily Janas Unknown Unknown Unknown
8 September 1986 Right-handed
Sara Phillips 30 December 2004 Right-handed
Nicole Reid 6 October 1997 Unknown
Ffion Wynne 2 August 1996 Right-handed

Seasons

Women's County Championship

SeasonDivisionLeague standings[20] Notes
PWLTA/CBPPtsPos
2004County Challenge Cup G33 1 2 0 0 21 33 3rd
2005County Challenge Cup G32 1 1 0 0 14 26 3rd
2006County Challenge Cup G33 2 1 0 0 4 44 2nd
2007County Challenge Cup G23 1 1 0 1 4 39 2nd
2008Division 5M3 2 1 0 0 0 40 2ndPromoted
2009Division 410 9 1 0 0 5 185 1stPromoted
2010Division 310 8 2 0 0 53 133 1stPromoted
2011Division 210 0 9 0 1 31 31 6th
2012Division 28 2 4 0 2 29 49 7th
2013Division 28 1 6 0 1 35 45 7th
2014Division 28 3 4 0 1 39 69 6th
2015Division 28 2 4 0 2 37 57 6th
2016Division 27 3 2 0 2 30 60 5th
2017Division 27 3 4 0 0 42 72 5th
2018Division 27 4 2 0 1 42 82 3rd
2019Division 27 3 3 1 0 43 78 5th

Women's Twenty20 Cup

SeasonDivisionLeague standings[22] Notes
PWLTA/CNRRPtsPos
2009Division 63 0 0 0 3 3 1st
2010Division S23 3 0 0 0 +1.22 6 1stPromoted
2011Division S&W 13 0 3 0 0 −2.73 0 4th
2012Division S&W 13 1 2 0 0 −1.04 2 3rd
2013Division S&W 13 1 2 0 0 −3.05 2 3rd
2014Division 2C4 2 2 0 0 −1.14 8 5th
2015Division 28 3 5 0 0 −0.24 12 6th
2016Division 27 4 2 0 1 +0.95 17 3rd
2017Division 28 3 3 0 2 +0.07 14 5th
2018Division 28 7 1 0 0 +1.95 28 2ndPromoted
2019Division 18 2 4 0 2 −0.32 10 7th
2021West Midlands8 1 3 0 4 −0.86 8 4th
2022Group 36 3 3 0 0 −0.89 12 3rd
2023Group 86 2 0 0 4 +2.930 12 1stLost final

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wales Women Scorecards . Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  2. Web site: Wales Women Scorecards . Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  3. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  4. Web site: About Us. Western Storm . 11 January 2021.
  5. Web site: Scotland Women v Wales Women, 2 June 2002 . Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  6. Web site: ECB Women's County Challenge Cup G3 - 2004 . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  7. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  8. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship Division 2 - 2018 . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  9. Web site: ECB Women's Twenty20 Cup Division 2 - 2018 . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  10. Web site: Women's Twenty20 Cup 2018 Batting by Runs. Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  11. Web site: ECB Women's Twenty20 Cup Division 1 - 2019 . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  12. Web site: Women's County T20 West Midlands Group - 2021 . ECB Women's County Championship . 17 May 2021.
  13. Web site: Women's County T20 Group 3 - 2022 . Play-Cricket . 9 May 2022.
  14. Web site: West Midlands Regional Cup/Competitions/Season 2022 . Play-Cricket . 10 September 2022.
  15. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship/Women's County T20 Group 8 - 2023 . Play-Cricket . 31 October 2023.
  16. Web site: West Midlands Regional Cup - 2023/Table . Play-Cricket . 31 October 2023.
  17. Web site: Women's European Championship 2005. Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  18. Web site: Women's European Championship 2005 Tables . Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  19. Web site: Batting and Fielding for Wales Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2023 . CricketArchive . 5 June 2023.
  20. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.
  21. Web site: ECB Women's European Championship 2005 Tables . Cricket Archive . 11 January 2021.
  22. Web site: ECB Women's County Championship . Play-Cricket . 11 January 2021.