Picture by John Heald. Ami Campbell on the charge in this summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Yorkshire’s women enjoyed a trophy-winning Tier 2 campaign, triumphant in the 50-over Metro Bank One-Day Cup. They also reached the final of the Vitality Blast and the quarter-finals of the other T20 competition, the Vitality County Cup.
Through the first half of the winter, we will be running a series of articles with members’ player-of-the-year Ami Campbell, who has been reflecting on key moments throughout the summer.
We have entitled this series ‘Campbell’s Classics’.
In the latest article, Ami Campbell talks about Yorkshire’s 50-over win against Gloucestershire at Bristol in mid-August, one which ended a run of back-to-back defeats. Campbell posted an excellent unbeaten 98 in that said success.
Ami Campbell learnt a lot about herself at the Seat Unique Stadium as Yorkshire got their Metro Bank One-Day Cup title bid back on track after home defeats against Middlesex and Glamorgan.
Campbell led the White Rose to a 150-run win, their fourth in seven games. And with two still to play, they were in fourth place – the final semi-final spot.
Yorkshire’s prolific left-hander is known for her aggressive style at the crease. And while that was still on show, it was so in a different manner given the nature of the pitch.
“I was playing shots I’ve never played before in my life,” she laughed. “I even played the switch hit. That’s a new one on me!”
Having elected to bat, the innings was in the balance at 134-4 in the 33rd when Campbell united with all-rounder Olivia Thomas, the pair sharing 78 in exactly 10 overs to gain some real momentum.
Thomas contributed a composed 33 and Campbell went on to top score with an excellent 98 not out off 61 balls as Yorkshire totalled what proved an unassailable 281-7.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ami Campbell was excellent with the bat at Bristol in August, where Yorkshire claimed a key 50-over win.
Young opener Amelia Oliver also made a fine senior career best 61 before Gloucestershire were bowled out for 131 in response. Thomas added three wickets with her leg-spinners.
“I had a few slices of luck early on in not getting caught,” Campbell continued. “But it turned out to be a good day, though one of the hardest.
“It was a really, really tough wicket. It was slow, it was nibbling a little bit, and it was turning. I knew I had to stay there and see us through, but I also didn’t want to take away my natural intent.
“They were bowling well, to be fair, and because it wasn’t coming onto the bat very well I knew I had to go a bit more square of the wicket, over point. Thankfully it paid off.
“That was also great for my confidence in terms of playing different shots I’ve never played before.
“I was kind of like, ‘Well, hitting straight isn’t my only strength now’.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Opener Amelia Oliver posted a fine career best 61.
“It’s good for me going forward into next year because I think I’ve always been stuck with a mode of, ‘Oh, hit strong and straight’.”
On Oliver’s opening innings, Campbell said: “She was really good that day, and we were all delighted for her as a young player.
“She’s got so much talent and seems to know her game very well. She’s done quite a bit of captaincy in the Academy and stuff, which obviously helps with that.”
Also contributing significant to what Campbell described as a “massive win – one we really needed at that stage” was all-rounder Olivia Thomas.
“Liv is a great person to play with purely because she really wants to win and she always has that fight,” said Campbell.
“Myself and Lauren (Winfield-Hill) stand behind the wicket and say to ourselves, ‘Yeah, we absolutely love that she’s giving the batter a bit of gyp’. We love that old-school type of player.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Olivia Thomas was in the runs and wickets at the Seat Unique Stadium.
“More importantly, she rags it and constantly has the batters under pressure. When she’s on the money, she’s pretty much unplayable.
“Watching her emerge from the winter, through the start of the season, not knowing anyone really, she’s grown a lot in confidence and as a person.
“One thing she is, she’s pretty hard on herself. But she can bat, she can bowl, and she’s a great fielder. I don’t think that girl quite knows the talent that she has.”
Thomas will be supplemented in Yorkshire’s senior squad by England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, a marquee recruit ahead of 2026.
“I don’t think Liv has any worries really with Sarah coming in,” added Campbell. “I haven’t spoken to her about anything like that, but I think they’re two completely different bowlers.
“Sarah Glenn skids it on a little bit, probably doesn’t get as much turn. She gets a bit more bounce, whereas Liv absolutely rags it and brings something different. There’s absolutely no reason why we couldn’t have both in the same team.”
