Beth Langston says she is enjoying playing the role of senior hand within Yorkshire’s bowling group even if it does come with some added pressure.
While not the only international bowler in the White Rose’s Tier 2 squad for 2025, seamer Langston is the most experienced with more than 200 senior wickets to her name.
Scotland quick Rachel Slater is the other Yorkshire bowler with international exposure to her name, but she is still only 23-years-old.
Langston and Slater are the only two bowlers who have held senior professionals contracts previously.
Grace Hall, Jess Woolston and spinners Claudie Cooper and Ria Fackrell – all in their early or mid-twenties – started life as full-time pros back in November.
Then you have a number of Academy up and comers who have been around the senior squad over the last few months, including 16-year-old seamer Amelia Love, who has taken five wickets in the opening two Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2 matches.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Beth Langston celebrates a wicket against Worcestershire at Headingley.
Langston, who has matched Love’s haul of five wickets in two games in what has been an impressive start to the summer, said: “I have to admit that I do feel under a bit of extra pressure as the senior bowler.
“We’ve got a really young bowling line-up, especially in the seam department, so there’s a bit of pressure to try and set the tone from the start.
“But I have to say that everyone who’s come on to bowl in the two games so far has stuck to their plans and done a really good job. I think we’ve got a really exciting group of bowlers, so it’ll be good to see them progress over the summer.
“I think we’re in a good place going forward.”
Six-time England international Langston was speaking ahead of Saturday’s latest Metro Bank clash with Derbyshire Falcons at the County Ground in Derby (10.30am).
Yorkshire are aiming for successive victories having brushed Sussex aside by nine wickets at Hove on Saturday, a game in which they chased only 78 to win. It was the ideal way to recover from an opening day defeat against Worcestershire at Headingley a week earlier.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Academy seamer Amelia Love opened the bowling with Beth Langston at Sussex on Saturday, and Langston is enjoying the role of guiding the county’s young bowlers.
The 32-year-old continued: “I quite like trying to help the younger girls through their journeys and see them improve and develop. I’m enjoying it so far. It’s a different challenge, but I think so far it’s gone ok.
“And it’s a part of hopefully leaving the game in a better place when I eventually retire.”
Langston has taken the new ball and impressed with three wickets against Worcestershire and then two against Sussex.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” said Langston.
“I did a lot of technical work with Rich (Pyrah, head coach) over the winter, and it was nice just having a full pre-season where I’ve not been rehabbing as well.
“That’s made a big difference – just being able to work on things consistently.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Openers Erin Thomas and Lauren Winfield-Hill shared an opening stand of 74 in victory over Sussex at Hove on Saturday.
“I’m feeling in a good place. Hopefully I can just stay on the pitch and keep that going.”
Langston was referring to an ACL knee injury nightmare which started in August 2022 and severely disrupted her involvement with the old Northern Diamonds side until midway through last summer. In that period, she only played one competitive match.
But she returned to action impressively last summer, taking six wickets in her first game back, and that positivity has continued on the back of the technical work she spoke of.
“I’m just trying to get my front arm working a bit harder.
“I think that’s helped with consistency and getting a bit more zip.”
And of those fitness issues, she said: “Hopefully it’s all behind me now. I’m feeling pretty good. It’s early days in the season, and so far, so good. I think that’s actually where Tier 2 is quite handy. The volume of games is a bit less this year, so hopefully I can just build up this year and then be good to go for next season.”
Picture by John Heald. Beth Langston and her Yorkshire team-mates face Derbyshire twice this weekend.
Yorkshire face Derbyshire twice this weekend. After the trip to the County Ground on Saturday, they welcome the Falcons to Harrogate on Monday afternoon in the first round of the inter-tier knockout County T20 Cup.
Should Yorkshire get through, they will face either Staffordshire or Cumbria – both Tier 3 counties – at home in round two before tackling Tier 1 side Essex at home in round three. The whole of the competition is played in May.
“We’re looking forward to that,” said Langston, Essex-born. “The magic of the cup! Hopefully we’ll have a good run. It’s cool that your route to the finals is plotted out. You know who you’re coming up against. T20 as well, it’s always fun.
“It would be good to play against Essex, although not many of the girls who I played with there when I started remain. I am getting on a bit!”
But first things first, and Saturday. She added: “We know how we want to play our cricket, and we showed that at Hove. Hopefully we’ve built a bit of momentum and can keep that going.”
Derbyshire have lost two from two so far. They are captained by all-rounder Adrianna Darlow, who played for Yorkshire in the old county structure between 2016 and 2019.
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