The Yorkshire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the signing of emerging wicketkeeper-batter Maddie Ward on a two-year rookie professional contract to play for Yorkshire Women in the new domestic structure.
Aged 19, Ward was signed onto the Northern Diamonds Academy ahead of 2024 and progressed through to make her senior debut in a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash with eventual champions Sunrisers at Chelmsford in late August.
Highly-rated Nottingham-born Ward kept impressively in that fixture and hit an encouraging 20 down the order, indicating a dynamic style with bat in hand.
Maddie Ward signs autographs for the fans, in June this year after The Charlotte Edwards Cup match between Northern Diamonds and Western Storm at Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds.
On the international front, Ward was part of the England Under 19s squad which reached the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa at the start of last year. Last December, she then helped an England National Counties XI win the European Championship T10 title in Malaga.
Ward said: “To sign my first professional contract is really special. This is something I’ve worked really hard for through Academy cricket and county age-groups and something I’ve hoped for since I was little.
“Headingley has always held a special place in my heart.
“I’m a Notts girl, but I’m very close to Yorkshire and have spent a lot of time in Sheffield. I’m a Sheffield United football fan and have always had a soft spot for Yorkshire Cricket as well.
“Being involved with the Diamonds last year, having moved from The Blaze, it was definitely the perfect move for me.
“I really enjoyed my year with them, playing in the Academy and training. All the staff were great at Headingley, and it’s fantastic that I’ve got the support from Yorkshire with this contract.”
Pictured Maddie Ward.
Yorkshire Women’s coach Richard Pyrah said: “Maddie is a cricketer with a lot of promise.
“She had a taste of senior cricket with the Diamonds towards the back end of the summer, scored some handy runs and looked very tidy behind the sticks.
“She has an opportunity to develop her game full-time over the winter and a chance to play more senior cricket next year.
“Having Lauren Winfield-Hill there to work with as a senior wicketkeeper-batter will be a big thing for her game.
“Lauren’s a great role-model for all the girls with how she goes about things both on and off the field. That’s why the senior player signings were so important for us, because they will play a key role in developing our younger girls.”
