Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) has retrospectively awarded caps to women players who have represented their county to recognise their commitment and their importance to the Club – spanning nearly 90 years of history.
A special presentation ceremony was held in the Long Room at Headingley yesterday, (Sunday, 16 June 2024), with caps handed out by YCCC’s Club President Jane Powell, who captained England and played for the Club for 12 years from 1980-1991.
Yorkshire Blue and Yellow Caps were given to those who played for more than 10 years for the county while Yorkshire Blue Caps with a yellow tassel were awarded to players who represented the county for less than 10 years.
President Dr Jane Powell (centre) alongside former Yorkshire cricketers who were retrospectively awarded caps.
Powell said: “This is a landmark moment for the county. I’m really pleased that we are rewarding the contributions and successes of so many players that have represented Yorkshire.
“It’s important for the Club to recognise the women who have made outstanding contributions on the field with their Yorkshire Caps.
“Congratulations to all the women who have been recognised and, on behalf of the Club, I’d like to thank them for their service.”
Among the 24 players recognised on Sunday were Club legends Sue Metcalfe, whose playing career spanned 21 years for Yorkshire, while she also played in 13 Test matches and 36 One Day Internationals for England between 1984 and 1998 and June Stephenson – the first world cup winner in the county – after playing a key role in England’s success in the 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Cricketers celebrated from the modern era included two-time World Cup winner and T20 World Cup victor Katherine Sciver-Brunt OBE, who played 19 years for Yorkshire and starred for England in 14 Test matches, 141 One Day Internationals and 112 Twenty20 Internationals. While Queen of spin Katie Levick, who has played for Yorkshire, Yorkshire Diamonds, Northern Diamonds and Birmingham Phoenix and is the leading wicket taker in Women’s County Championship Cricket was also recognised.
As part of the celebration former Yorkshire Women players enjoyed an honorary lap round the pitch at Headingley.
Sciver-Brunt said: “Playing for Yorkshire has always meant a great deal. I’ve always been very passionate about where I’m from and my upbringing – so it’s always great to come back here.
“A lot of the time I favoured playing for Yorkshire over England. I’m not sure why… it’s just how it makes you feel and what the white rose means to you and all the players here will know what that means.
“There’s been a lot of positive changes happening in the last two years at the Club that Jane Powell has been championing. The county is in good hands with her moving forward.”
This initial capping celebration is part of a new long-term research project by the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation’s (YCF) Heritage Advisory Group. The group played a key role in researching and collating a list of players to receive their caps in this first celebration.
A further extensive list has been compiled from scorecards from archive resources with the first players being recorded in the 1930s – however in some cases there are some details missing. The next steps for the Advisory Group will be to identify through research other eligible players from the past.
Charlotte Hughes, Head of Heritage for YCF, said: “The women celebrated are part of a rich Yorkshire legacy which now sees a thriving women’s and girls’ game in the county.
“As we found following the research around the recent launch of the women’s exhibition at Headingley – women’s history isn’t always clear cut.
“We hope to be able to utilise some fantastic researchers to uncover this extensive history.”
In the future, caps will be presented to players as they reach their milestones and plans are in place to recognise Yorkshire women’s achievements on new Club Honours Boards in the East Stand.
First capping
Blue and Yellow Caps (10+ years playing)
J Powell (1980-1991)
A Elder (1989 – 2000)
HC Plimmer (1985 – 1997)
SJ Metcalfe (1984 – 2004)
B Nicholson (1992 – 2005)
CN Atkinson (1999 – 2011)
L Spragg (1997 – 2016)
KA Levick (2008 –2022)
HJ Armitage (2013-2022)
L Winfield-Hill (2007 – 2019)
D Hazell (2008 –2018)
J Alexander-Hall (1958 – 1973)
KH Sciver-Brunt (2001 – 2019)
J Stephenson (1963 –1982)
WL Brown (2003 – 2015)
Blue Caps (under 10 years – yellow tassel)
A Garrard
M Smith
C Allen
A Spencer
RA Hildreth
D Maybury
J de Tute
A Whisker-Pollington
R Moore
