A cricketing holiday which created a little bit of history

Every summer, in the unlikely surroundings of a small Herefordshire village, one of women's cricket's biggest events takes place, and this year will be no exception.

The annual Women's Cricket Week at Colwall, in the shadow of the Malverns Hills attracts many standards of players from all over the UK - and a sprinkling from overseasas well! Cricket Week also gives novices a chance to learn from more experienced players, and try a bit of everything the game has to offer.

This year marks the 78th anniversary of the start of this popular tradition which led to the founding of the Women's Cricket Association way back in 1926 after a group of cricketing friends got together for a cricketing holiday in this delightful corner of the county.

And from August 6th-11th, as in every peacetime year since, women cricketers will gather for the opportunity of a get-together and to play the national summer sport.

Players of all standards will have the chance to bat, bowl and keep wicket in four to six teams of 11 players. But while the cricket is of a generally good standard, the emphasis is on enjoyment with the teams comprising a mixture of newcomers to the game and experienced club and county players. 

 Players are encouraged to develop their game, hit their first boundary, score their first half-century , bowl their first delivery or take their first wicket in the matches which take place at the two pitches at Colwall Cricket Club. Teams are allocated on the Saturday night when everyone has the chance to meet each other, and the festival starts in the traditional fashion on Sunday, August 6th.

Matches takes place on daily basis through to the following Friday, and a variety of formats are used, such as 40 over games, declaration matches, and the ever popular Fifteen15 day, when teams play a fast-flowing, hard-hitting shortened game with an exciting final at the end of the day. There is also the traditional match against the host club, Colwall CC, on the Wednesday night, and a hockey match during the week for those with the energy!

 "Cricket Week has a special place in the women's cricket calendar," said Gill McConway, ECB Director of Women's Cricket. "It provides everyone with a chance to play the game, take some time out in a beautiful part of England in summer, make new friends and enjoy themselves". 
 

 Legendary names such as Betty Snowball, Myrtle McLagen, Betty Archdale, Molly Hide and many others were regular visitors in those pre-war day which feature prominently in Mrs Edwards' unmatched collection of photographs.  More recently, the woman who did, probably more than any other to bring the game to national attention, Rachel Heyhoe-Flint, was also a strong supporter of this delightful sporting institution. Audrey Collins, now 90 years not out, still goes to Colwall each year, and another stalwart, Helena Butcher, will celebrate her 40th consecutive Cricket Week in 2006 - and she still plays!