Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire’s lead girls’ Academy coach Jared Warner. Cover photo, leg-spinner and Academy captain Holly Garton.
Eleven games, 10 wins. It’s safe to say Yorkshire’s Under 18s girls’ are ready for this Sunday’s 50-over County Cup final against Hampshire at Attenborough CC in Nottingham.
Academy coach Jared Warner leads a confident group of players into a final which they reached last year only to lose to Surrey.
This is a group of up and coming players, including those with senior first team experience. Holly Garton, for example, Lucy Randle-Bissell and Amelia Oliver.
Fast bowler Gabriella Fontenla even represented Scotland at this summer’s T20 World Cup.
They face a Hampshire side who are strong but don’t quite have the record that Yorkshire have had.
While the White Rose finished top of their group in the initial stage of the competition with seven wins from eight games, Hampshire finished second in theirs with five wins.
Both sides then won through from the last 16 stage, with Yorkshire beating Buckinghamshire in the semi-final last week and Hampshire seeing off Kent.
Picture by Ashley Allen/Getty Images. Gabriella Fontenla in action for Scotland at this summer’s T20 World Cup.
“We’ve been pretty stretched with some of the sides we’ve put out in terms of the ages of the players,” said Warner. “For some of the girls who have played senior cricket, the schedule’s been quite tough. But we’ve done really well.
“We beat Lancashire twice in the group stages, and they’re always strong, and we blew Nottinghamshire away in the quarter-final at Brighouse. We posted 308-8 batting first in that game. They’re always strong as well.
“There’s been some really good performances.
“Look, we’ve got a strong team and a strong age-group.
“We got to the final last year, and I was expecting us to be strong again. But you’ve still got to do it.
“If we turn up and play like we have been doing, I’d back us to get the job done.”
Maiya Charlesworth is the leading run-scorer in the competition with 653 runs, 143 runs better off than any other player. She hit a superb 164 in a big group win over Cheshire in July.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Maiya Charlesworth, the leading run-scorer in this summer’s County Cup.
Jeanie Lee is the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 21, including a best of 5-51 in another group win over Cheshire in May.
“These girls are another year older, and it’s been a really good year down the Pathway as well,” continued Warner.
“The Under 16s got to their semi-final, the Under 14s won their final back end of August. There’s been some invaluable experience for all the girls, and it’s just nice to be involved in these kind of high-pressure games.
“It’s obviously good preparation for when they hopefully progress up into the professional space.”
And Warner added: “Rich Pyrah talks about this a lot. Especially in the Academy space, he’s not too bothered about results. But the girls know it’s knockout cricket and now a final.
“We don’t dress it up or spin it any different, but they’re desperate to win.
“That’s the aim of the game, isn’t it. So the more they can have a taste of it at a young age, the better.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Amelia Oliver, senior and England Under 19s experience under her belt.
“Hampshire are a good team but one we’ve not played.
“That will provide us with a different dynamic and challenge, but it’s one we’re all really looking forward to. We can’t wait.”
