Catch the Spirit Week concluded with a celebration of women and girls’ cricket at Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club.
On a warm, blustery afternoon in the suburbs of South Leeds, zones were laid out for women’s softball games and Dynamos matches. Activities included the YCF’s new inflatable with a fun throwing challenge and prizes of World Cup tickets.
A mother and daughter duo from Beeston, where the host cricket club is based, offered mehndi; the intricate artwork using henna paste and balloon modelling. Meanwhile, superb curry, samosas and bhajis from Shaz at Sugar & Spice kept everyone well fed as the day progressed.
Sohail Raz, Diverse Communities Manager for the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation (YCF), sees how these events bring communities together who wouldn’t necessarily meet otherwise. Catch the Spirit Week has offered those across the region of all ages and backgrounds a chance to be involved and socialise:
“It’s all about making sure everyone has fun and enjoys the day. It’s really rewarding to see the smiles on kids’ faces when they’re taking part.”
Children came along from the YCF Wicketz programme in Leeds. It’s a popular girls-only hub run at the Bilal Sports Centre in LS11. These free sessions combine cricket and workshops helping with life skills such as confidence and leadership for young people, aged 8-19.
On the day, women’s softball attendance centred around those from Cardio Cricket sessions, as well as Hunslet Helson CC whose women’s squad play in Leeds East Region Division 1 of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League.
Women from Cardio Cricket (relaxed, fitness sessions with a cricket theme) don’t typically choose to play in softball leagues so this was a chance for a friendly, competitive format. Coming to a cricket club can be daunting and the magic of the day at Hunslet Nelson is that it may inspire future participation by offering a variety of ways to play the game.
There were those who travelled to this corner of outer Leeds to try something new, including women from Crossgates United Friends Cricket Club. Samadrita Malik said: “I’m here for the first time. It’s good exposure for the ladies. I’ve played for almost a year now but before then, only gully cricket in the streets of India.”
Women’s cricket is only a couple of years old at Crossgates United Friends CC but there is an appetite to progress. Outdoors, they’re doing well in Leeds East Region Div 2, having had girls join for the previous indoor season.
The final action of the afternoon saw those from the Chance to Shine Street project in Batley show their skills, as proud parents cheered on from the boundary. Catches were taken, boundaries struck and run outs completed.
Yasmin Patel, coach for the girls-only Chance to Shine Street club at Al-Hikmah Centre in Batley, shared how a day like this can be transformative.
“We don’t get to train outdoors. It’s very different for them today…the ball, the bounce…obviously, indoors you hit the wall and that’s it! They did really well. They had a lot of fun and are asking for more outdoor training.”
Chance to Shine Street girls cricket has been going eight years now in Batley and by the end, there were conversations with the girls from Beeston about visiting each other.
It was an uplifting finale to Catch the Spirit Week with excitement building as the weeks tick down to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup matches at Headingley.
By John Fuller – cricketyorkshire.com
