Jess Woolston is confident the future is bright for Yorkshire’s Women, the county’s fast bowler having had first hand experience of the talent coming through at Headingley.
Woolston last year graduated from Leeds Beckett University with a degree in Sports Coaching and has been putting her experience to good use.
The soon-to-be 22-year-old has helped out with some coaching, when time allows, on the girls pathway.
Woolston is one of 12 senior contracted professionals at Yorkshire ahead of 2025, and young up and comers from the Academy, Emerging Players Programme and maybe even below will get their opportunities to play senior cricket this summer and press their case.
There is a great determination from head coach Rich Pyrah and general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton to develop Yorkshire’s own players as opposed to relying on external recruitment.
“I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and there are some girls coming through who have shown real skill and quality,” said Woolston.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jess Woolston is one of four contracted seamers in Yorkshire’s squad ahead of 2025.
“It will be exciting to see those players coming through and pushing us senior girls.
“Competition for places can only be a good thing.”
She continued: “I love the coaching side of things, and Rich is fully supportive of me doing that sort of thing.
“I’ve done three years of it at Uni, so I don’t want to just park it. If I can keep learning alongside my cricket, that’s great. Once my playing career’s over, that might be my plan.”
While Woolston’s coaching goes on in the background, front and centre will be her fast bowling.
She is herself in the early stages of a senior career having progressed through the old Northern Diamonds Academy to make her senior debut for them in late 2022.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jess Woolston (r) hands county colleague Grace Hall her Diamonds cap in 2023.
She was part of the squad which won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy that summer and then claimed a memorable five-wicket haul in victory over the South East Stars at Scarborough the following May.
Born in Stockton-on-Tees, Woolston has signed her maiden pro contract, announced by Yorkshire at the start of November.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “For me, it’s like a new chapter having finished University and having had to balance that with my cricket over the last three years.
“Looking back to before University, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be signing a full-time professional contract for one of the biggest clubs in the country.
“A few of us had chats with Yorkshire, and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. It’s the right step forwards for me and was a ‘pinch me’ moment when I found out.”
Woolston came through Durham’s age-groups and has played senior county cricket for Durham and Yorkshire as well as regional cricket for the Diamonds.
Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com. Jess Woolston (back row, far right) celebrates the Northern Diamonds’ Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy triumph at Lord’s in September 2022.
She has made 34 senior appearances in T20 and 50-over cricket since debuting for Durham in 2017 and has since made a home in the Broad Acres.
Woolston said: “Coming into the Diamonds senior set-up from their Academy in 2022, I was happy being around that environment and learning from the likes of Lauren Winfield-Hill, Hollie Armitage and Bess Heath, who have been – or are currently – in the England set-up.
“At that time, just being around and learning was enough.
“But then I got given opportunities in the two full seasons I had in the squad and had some good moments such as the five-for against the Stars.
“There are moments across the last two or three years that have made my career so memorable. Being in the squad and experiencing the Lord’s final was obviously one of them.
“That last month I had in 2022 was such a whirlwind month. I’d just been introduced to the group, and the next thing is that we’re involved in a Lord’s final. It’s been a great start to what will hopefully be a long career for me.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jess Woolston has had experience of coaching Yorkshire’s up and coming youngsters.
“I want to try and make sure there’s more to come with Yorkshire.”
Woolston is a skilful bowler who naturally angles the ball into the right-hander. Her action has similarities to that of England legend Anya Shrubsole.
For all of Yorkshire’s seamers in particular – Grace Hall, Beth Langston and Rachel Slater – the chance to work with head coach Pyrah is an exciting one given his fast bowling specialism.
“Absolutely,” said Woolston.
“I’ve almost had two seasons of self-learning in many ways. A lot of the team have worked together. Someone like Langers, having been a part of England’s set-up in her career, we’ve definitely chipped into her knowledge.
“But having your head coach with a seam bowling specialism is really, really exciting. I’ll definitely be using his knowledge and chipping into the experiences he’s had.”
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Jess Woolston is confident Rich Pyrah can further develop her game.
And looking ahead to 2025 and beyond from a team point of view, Woolston added: “Having the one year in Tier 2 kind of gives us that freedom to play brave cricket and push ourselves. It also gives us a great opportunity to build that team ethos.
“All in all, it’s a great platform to help us push for silverware when we become a Tier 1 side.”
