For a cricket club that didn’t have a girls or women’s section 8 years ago it is a tremendous achievement by Falkland CC in Newbury, Berkshire to have won the Home Counties Premier League title this year. A league that involves over 40 Women’s established cricket clubs across Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Falkland only started its girls section 8 years ago when it started offering cricket for U10 girls back in the summer of 2016. Following some successful recruitment from local schools and some enthusiastic parental help, 25 girls came along to experience their first taste of cricket. Since that time the club has grown in popularity with a new set of U10 girls joining each year, and the class of 2016 moving up the club to become primarily the Women’s 1st XI.

It is no surprise that the team spirit in this side equates for a few extra runs per game, as the majority of the team has been playing and training together since they were just 10 years old. The development of the girls section itself has been remarkable with over 150 girls now experiencing cricket at the club. With regular training and coaching all year round, the Falkland junior sides have performed consistently well too, often earning silverware in their respective girls competitions along side beating lots of the local boys teams.

Individual players have also developed and progressed within one of the most inclusive clubs in Berkshire. This is clearly evident in our adult Saturday league teams that often boast 3 or 4 female players in their line ups, a level of cricket which has also helped our Women’s team excel. Throughout the club you will find lots of players from U11 girls up to the Women’s side who are currently representing Berkshire at Junior and Senior Level. Over 30 girls have County honours and 5 have progressed further to Vipers Regional EPP and Academy Cricket.

The Falkland Womens 1st XI has been built as a team from the ground up, playing on our main pitch and fully integrated within the whole club. Expertly led by captain Holly Rider whose leadership and commitment to the side has often given the team a winning edge when on the pitch. With an average age of still only 16, it is highly likely that this team could be around for a while leading the development of the Women and Girls game in West Berkshire.