The Cutthorpe cricketers taking the women’s game by storm

The successful North Derbyshire side. Top row (l-r) Willow Parker (Holinsend CC), Heidi Donald (Cutthorpe CC), Sophia Henshaw (Cutthorpe CC), Phoebe Pitt (Cutthorpe CC), Maria Andrews (Cutthorpe CC), Sophia McCollum (Cutthorpe CC). Bottom row (l-r) Coach Bob Sargeant, Jenny Barnett (Coal Aston CC), Lois Heathcote (Chesterfield CC), Grace Biggs (Chesterfield CC), Chloe Witts (Cutthorpe CC), Sophie Hiron (Cutthorpe CC), Coach Stuart Baddeley.

But in recent years, it’s become very much a hub for local female cricketers ranging from primary school-age through to adults.

That’s largely down the the efforts of several hard-working coaches who have developed a number of players to help the club emerge as somewhere youngsters from not just Cutthorpe but also the wider area are keen to gravitate to.

John McCollum, who has been involved with the club for several years, says the success has been very pleasing.

Cutthorpe's young cricketers in training.

He said: “It’s going really well. Cutthorpe has five cricket teams now in the Derbyshire League and the fourth and fifth teams have several female players playing a key part each week. We’re also the only North Derbyshire club to have a senior women’s team playing in the East Midlands League.

"It’s added so much to the club and the players have learned that they are as important as the 60-year-old veteran batsman slogging away each week – it’s their club and they are keen to look after it and be protective of it.”

Talent isn’t in short supply as the club’s reputation grows. Among those to have played for Cutthorpe are Gabby Barlow, who has played at county level, and sisters Charlotte and Grace Middleton, who represent both the women’s senior team and the fifth team in the Derbyshire League.

And a specially-created North Derbyshire District side, made up of cricketers from Cutthorpe and the surrounding area, have recently progressed to the quarter-finals of a national competition, the Lady Taverners Cup, in which they will next travel to Leyland in Lancashire in the hope of securing a semi-final place.

Female cricket in Cutthorpe is thriving as the sport grows ever more popular.

McCollum added: “It’s an eight-a-side U13s squad, mostly featuring Cutthorpe players but also some from places like Coal Aston and Hollinsend.

"It’s been amazing to see them do so well and inspire so many other players within the club and beyond.”

You can find out more about the club and enquire about joining though its Facebook page at Facebook.com/CutthorpeCricketClub.