Birstall Belles look forward to outdoor league debut

When Rachel Lewis realised Birstall Cricket Club didn’t have a women’s team, she decided to do something about it.

There was a rounders team but her drive to see women and girls’ cricket at the Leeds Road oval didn’t take long to hit overdrive.

A theme that has repeatedly chimed in Cricket Yorkshire’s articles on the women and girls’ game is that the demand is often there – waiting for a spark.

Backed by Club Secretary Mark Gilman and others at Birstall Cricket Club, Rachel then discovered that finding players wouldn’t be a problem:

“The recruitment process was all done via social media posts and the interest was phenomenal. Our first training session was held outdoors at Birstall CC on a sunny Monday evening. I really didn’t know what to expect…”

Fortunately, it surpassed everything: “I didn’t know if anyone would turn up but over 20 ladies appeared from all different directions around the cricket pitch and from as far away as Halifax!”

Starting something like a new cricket team from the beginning must be exciting because you get to set expectations, particularly for beginners, where the emphasis can be on fun and everyone is on the same journey.

The Birstall Belles’ first training session saw females of all ages, backgrounds and abilities launch into throwing and have a crack at bowling with, as Rachel puts it, the teapot bowling technique.

Next Monday, everyone returned – with new faces too.

Aside from that communal sense of growing a team, it must be satisfying to look back on what is a steep trajectory in a short space of time, having only formed in August 2024.

Rachel is keen to credit others for their role, including Vice-Captain Tracy Hanson, who has “supported me throughout the process. Her daughter and wife both play in the team and she is integral to the development.”

Some of those attending the Belles’ cricket revolution had husbands or children who already played at Birstall so the transition from watching or volunteering to involvement in games themselves was powerful:

“It’s the best feeling in the world witnessing 20-odd strangers become a team and see the friendships building – then to see each and every one of them progressing and becoming really skilful but more importantly having fun along the way.”

There’s one thing having a one-off cricket session and it’s another forming a team, managing group dynamics and plunging headlong into the delightful world of cricket admin. Rachel told me: “We are honest and transparent and communicate friendlies, training, teams to the group chat daily.“

As with other contributions to this website, a compelling benefit for organisers and players is to see mums and daughters and other family members get to turn out together.

Rachel’s daughter joined the Belles after being scouted by her mum – the allrounder slotted right in: “My daughter played for a short stint at Adwalton CC when she was nine so I asked her to come along.”

“She did and has never looked back, she is our permanent wicketkeeper, and her batting and bowling is awesome. It’s amazing playing a sport alongside my daughter, I never thought we would.“

Coaching the Belles

From these fledgling days, things began to be a bit more organised after Jack Lonsdale began overseeing coaching to introduce more drills and to improve the group’s skills level.

A wicketkeeper-batter, Jack plays second-team cricket in the Bradford Premier League for New Farnley. I caught up with Jack to find out what it’s been like to coach the Belles.

The 17-year-old student at Yorkshire Cricket College told me: “From where the Birstall Belles started off to where they are now is unbelievable. They’re so supportive of each other, I couldn’t ask for a better group of players.”

He added: “Being in a position now where I can pass on what I’ve learnt from some top coaches I’ve worked with, I just like seeing people improve.”

I was curious how a coach works with a group that’s largely new to a game to make it fun but also build on the basics. Jack credits his experience with the Mark Lawson Cricket Academy where there are a variety of cricket abilities on summer camps: “You’ve got to include everyone, do fun drills and then incorporate skills into that – but making it enjoyable at the same time.”

Now training at Woodkirk Academy, the Birstall Belles have finished second in Division 2 of the Leeds Indoor League; a part of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League.

It doesn’t stop there. Outdoor training at Birstall Cricket Club is pencilled in for April with involvement in a league coming ever closer.

Rachel has submitted two teams for the softball outdoor season with a view to playing in the Leeds East Region:

“We have 24 females signed up and we have more than enough players to fill two teams and rotate around holidays. We cannot wait for our first outdoor season!”

With a packed social calendar including live bands at the cricket club, the group sound as if they’re gelling ahead of their first match outdoors in the Yorkshire Spring sunshine (hopefully).

Rachel wrapped things up with a nod to the way the squad has evolved: “I am so proud of each and every one of the Belles, they are loyal, committed and very, very competitive!!”

Support comes in all sorts of guises from Birstall Cricket Club itself to sponsors such as Elddis Developments, The Gym Doctors 365 and Pareto Financial Planning Ltd who have enabled things such as paying for the sports hall, coaching, kit and equipment.

Good luck to Birstall Belles in the next phase of their softball cricket adventures and thanks to Rachel for sharing how things all began.