Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire’s Jess Woolston takes the acclaim of her team-mates after taking five wickets against Middlesex at Headingley at the start of August.
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’.
Ami Campbell has been looking back to Jess Woolston’s five-wicket haul in the One-Day Cup against Middlesex at Headingley in August.
It had been a nightmare start to life as a full-time professional with Yorkshire for opening bowler Jess Woolston, with injury ruining the first half of her summer. But she returned to action impressively.
Woolston, 22-years-old, first came to prominence with the Northern Diamonds in 2022, making her debut in the campaign in which they went on to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
She claimed a 50-over five-for for them the following summer, and did likewise for the White Rose in her first 50-over match of 2025 against Middlesex at Headingley.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ami Campbell was full of praise for Jess Woolston.
Back in February, Woolston suffered a foot stress fracture and ruled her out of action until late May. She didn’t make her competitive return until the start of June in the Vitality Blast.
She was a consistent wicket-taker through the Blast, though didn’t take part in Finals Day when Middlesex triumphed at Wantage Road.
A week later, though – at Headingley on August 2 – she took the new ball and impressed with 5-45 from her 10 overs of seam.
It may have been another success for Middlesex that day, them recovering from 29-5 and 95-7 to post a competitive 192-9 before Yorkshire responded with 185 all out, but seeing Woolston star was definitely a shot in the arm for the White Rose camp.
“I was absolutely buzzing for Jess because I think people don’t see what players go through during their rehab, and I know she was struggling a little bit through that,” said Campbell.
“It’s really not a nice thing, and especially with it being your foot. It takes so long to heal.
“But I saw how hard she worked in the gym to get back to the place that she was.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Jess Woolston and wicketkeeper Maddie Ward celebrate a wicket against Middlesex.
“I think that’s why we celebrated so much for that one person because everybody had seen the amount of hard work that Wooly put in.
“She bowls at me in the nets all the time, and she’s such a great bowler. It was just amazing to see it all come together for her that day.
“I was fielding at slip as well, so I had the best view in the house. And it was swinging all day, really hooping.
“In my opinion, it was the best I’ve ever seen anyone bowl.”
Credit should go to Middlesex’s emerging wicketkeeper-batter Pippa Sproul, who recovered her side expertly with a middle order 98.
While teenaged all-rounder Ines Blackwell had an impressive day on debut for Yorkshire with a wicket and 30 with the bat.
Woolston, meanwhile, is currently in Melbourne playing winter cricket for North Geelong. It is her first taste of an overseas spell such as this. Campbell is also in Australia playing club cricket for Sydney side Gordon.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ines Blackwell impressed on debut at Headingley.
Campbell added: “I think this six months will really push her from a personal level as well as her cricket. It will be great for her going into Tier 1 next summer. She can hit the ground running from day one.
“We’re going to be a packed out bowling side, and the best thing for her at the minute is to be playing and keep getting better to give her the best chance of securing her place in the team.
“I really hope she does because I think she’s an absolutely outstanding player when she’s at her best.”
