Ladies Cricket
First Team Season Review 2007
The 2007 season saw the ladies and girls sections of the club develop both on and off the field. As important as stats and league tables are it is what has happened off the pitch that has been most pleasing. Through good attendance, commitment and enthusiasm we were thriving in terms of results and spirit,
Seeing the progress of the junior squads as a whole and younger players individually, has demonstrated the clubs healthy future. It is no secret that there is difficulty in giving everyone an opportunity. It is a fine balance between the ultimate desire to win and the need to give promising players a chance at first team level.
The 1st teams’ primary goal is to win and it was lovely to see some of the more inexperienced players step up and perform when called upon. Caroline Jamieson, Claire Richards, Laura Pearson, Hannah Gordon and Emma and Izzy Wright have all contributed to the first team this year.
Both myself and Hayley (1st team vice captain) have benefited from the hard work of our predecessors Sally Bryson and Ali Oldam to guide our side through a tough but satisfying season.
Following victory at the annual SNCC tournament the season proper got underway with a win at arch rivals Stocksfield 1st, Ami Campbell and Hayley Falla with 53 and 6-22 respectively were the stars of the show.
A well fought defeat in the national knock out didn’t half the excellent domestic form or enthusiasm as the ladies went on to win 10 consecutive games, special mention must go to Ami Campbell for her 148no against Tynemouth and three half centuries from Hayley Falla.
The next fixture decided the fate of the league title (as well as the rain but we won’t mention that!) as Stocksfield, the 2007 champions, defeated the ladies.
With the terrible weather we have had, the last three games against Ashington, Greenside and Wylam meant the fixture list became a nightmare and a huge thank you must go to Monika Loveday and John Dodds (grounds man) for sorting it out.
Finally, I must say special thanks to all involved with not only the running of the first team but the entire ladies section. Firstly Martin Speight for all his hard work coaching us throughout the year, Hayley Falla for being a brilliant vice captain, the newly formed Ladies Committee including Ali Oldam, Claire Hopkins, Monika Loveday, as well as Mark Foster, Adam Heather, Clive Goatman and James Miller. And last but not least, parents, husbands, boyfriends for their support, encouragement and umpiring and scoring skills throughout the season.
We look forward to an exciting 2008.
Naomi Miller
Ladies 1st Team Captain
Second Team Season Review 2007
Due to the weather and two new teams (Ashington and Greenside) entering the league competition, 2007 provided a fixture list never seen before in the Northumberland Women’s Premier League. As most teams decided to play their home matches on a Tuesday, we soon run out of dates and for South North Ladies this meant that the 1st and 2nd team would play some of their matches on the same night. In the past, fielding two 8-a-side teams simultaneously was a rare achievement but thanks to a steady influx of new players, South North seems to have overcome this problem.
As a captain, it was a challenge to select a team for each match as there were so many players to choose from. The difficulty was to ensure that we had enough skill, particular for the bowling, to be as competitive as possible while also giving new players a chance to gain match experience.
Kirsty Balfour, Laura Ashworth and Emma Gozzard joined South North Ladies this season for their first taste of cricket and they all succeeded in developing the necessary skills and understanding of the game in a very short time period.
Also for their first season, the young players Hannah Gordon, Emma and Izzy Wright, Claire Richards and Roshi Ali joined us. Although still young enough to qualify for the U13 and U15 girls’ squads, their talent and hard work earned them their place in the team.
In terms of results, 2007 was another mixed season for the 2nd team as we started with excellent wins against newcomers Greenside at home, with Lucy Dixon scoring 73 n.o. and Angela Baird getting 41. We then went on to beat the established Wylam team. A very tight and exiting game against Stocksfield 2nds ended in a tie, something which had not been done before.
The match against Tynemouth at home was tight until about the 15th over but then the inexperience showed, this being the first game for some of our players. The next few matches were lost but we managed to finish on a high note with a comprehensive win against Ashington where Caroline Jamieson excelled with bowling figures of 4-2-4-4, well supported by Vicki Threadgold with 4-0-14-1.
Although we were not able to increase the number of matches won compared to last season, I as captain feel that the squad has developed and improved further which is highlighted by the fact that from the games lost, South North 2nds succeeded in gaining the most bonus points in the league.
My thanks goes to all the players for their support, to Martin Speight who provided excellent coaching through the whole season, and of course thank you also to boyfriends, husbands and parents who supported us in 2007.
Monika Loveday
Ladies 2nd Team Captain
2007 Season Awards
On 19 October, the girls and ladies section held their annual AGM and combined this with the presentation evening, as well as a bit of an end of season get together.
All the section nominated in the following categories and the winners are below.
First Team Awards
Best Batting 2007 – Ami Campbell (highest score 148no)
Best Bowling 2007 – Hayley Falla (best figures 6-22 from 3.5 overs)
Most Improved Player 2007 – Hayley Falla
Second Team Awards
Best Batting 2007 – Caroline Jamieson (highest score 30)
Best Bowling 2007 – Caroline Jamieson (best figures 4-4 from 4 overs)
Most Improved Player 2007 – Hannah Gordon
South North Ladies Players Player 2007 – Monika Loveday
The ladies also decided to give out some light-hearted awards to the rest of the team. The winners and reasons are as follows:
The Alan Sugar Award – Ali Oldam because she’s the boss!
The Paris Hilton Award – Ami Campbell as the most vain and hottest team member!
The Dyson Award – Ann Rawlinson for picking everything up off the field!
The Big Ben Award – Angela Baird for always managing to be late even when you tell her to arrive 15 minutes earlier!!
The Mary Poppins Award – Caroline Jamieson for having a bag with everything in it!
The Mr Motivator Award – Carol Nourse for always encouraging the team!
The Bleep Bleep Award – Cate Adamson for her uncontrollable swearing outbursts on the field that she insists is a form of encouragement!
The Leek Award – Claire Richards for being the most Welsh player on the team!
The Glam Glitter Award – Claire Hopkins for being the sparkliest, glitziest and glam team member!
The Michael Flatley Award – Emily Poole for having the largest selection of dance moves from ‘pat the dog’ to ‘change the light bulb’!
The Elton John Award – Emma Gozzard for finding ‘sorry’ to be the easiest word to say rather than the hardest!!
The Peas in a Pod Award – Emma & Izzy Wright as we’re not able to tell them apart!
The Mr Bump Award – Hayley Falla for having the most visits to hospital in a season!
The Charlie Chaplin Award – Jennie Evans as the quietest member of the team, everything is done in mute mode!
The Tartan Award – Kirsty Balfour for being the most Scottish lassy on the team!!
The Goldon Arm Award – Laura Balfour for taking out the top batters in her first season with the club!
The Orville the Duck Award – Laura Pearson because she thinks she can’t but she can!!
The Lily Allan Award – Hannah Gordon as she’s South North’s very own pop star!!
The Thundercat Award – Lucy Dixon for her cat like fielding abilities!
The Monarch of the Glen Award – Monika Loveday for having the staying power of a monarch, with a heart of gold, never giving up and fighting for what she believes in. As well as having a name you change easily to Monarch!!
The Aly Tym Award – Sally Bryson for having the most colourful undies in cricket, like Aly Tym.
The Mr Messy Award – Naomi Miller for her ability to spread her entire kit bag all over the changing room.
The Skippy Peanut Butter Award – Vicky Threadgold for her bouncing, skippy bowling action in the team!!
Special thanks must go to Naomi Miller for the making of the awards as well as the team effort of thinking of the awards themselves, which at times was a difficult task! A mention must also go to Mark Foster for allowing us to take over half the club on a Friday Coaching Night as well as Susan Gadomski for the catering!