Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

101 In 1993 England won the World Cup, beating New Zealand in the final – with at least four of the East Midlands team featuring. Enid had played for a WCA XI against Denmark in one of the warm-up games, Denmark making 212 for five (Enid 10-0-39-1) and the WCA XI 179 for eight, Enid making 33 after Rachel Walker was run out for nought. There was a territorial tournament in August 1993, but Enid was not playing for MidWest. She was travelling south regularly as she was on the selection committee for the World Cup team and travelled for meetings. So she decided it made more sense to move south and to play for Redoubtables. Enid suggests that the warmer southern weather was a factor, but her father was dead, she was separated from Colin, her children were grown up, and there seemed not much prospect of paid work for coaching in Nottingham, where at Trent Bridge they needed to find coaching work for players not selected for England tours - fewer players wintered abroad in those days. She had hopes though of getting paid coaching work in and around London. The year after Enid moved Nottingham finally won the National Club knockout competition. Enid had always said I should retire once we had won this competition but had not expected that they would do it without her. Moving to London meant renting, and while that was still possible in the 1990s, it certainly did not mean luxury. She initially stayed with friends but later moved into semi-sheltered housing at Elizabeth House in Cheam. Also in 1994 came the launch of Wicket Women as the WCA’s mouthpiece. In the Spring 1994 edition came a piece headed ‘Mrs Bakewell’s Diary’. ‘Since moving South Enid has been on the go incessantly. Coaching on several projects. These include schools’ cricket in wet, windy playgrounds or warmer but cramped gyms. Add this to Bedford Centre of Excellence, Surrey County nets, South London squad training, the Junior England weekend and you begin to realise what an immense contribution she is still prepared to make. All is delivered with the same joy and boundless enthusiasm that only Enid can bring to the game. The London women’s programme has also benefitted from her presence. The familiar cry of ‘come on team’ echoes at many a session. However it is not all work, she has also indulged in the odd game of hockey and done a fair bit of socialising. We hope she has a great summer and enjoys playing as much as ever, even if it is for us “soft southerners”’ So she was busy, and in May 1994 came the debut for a new team: she was playing for Redoubtables against Riverside, bowling eleven overs for 28 and being run out for 15 batting down the order (some things didn’t change). In June she first turned out for Surrey Women as they beat Middlesex, scoring 17 at number three, then taking four for 44 in 19.3 overs. After that Surrey (just) beat their own second eleven, winning after scoring only 128 for nine (Enid 13) to 124 (Enid 9-0-24-0). Just in case she was not busy enough she acted as scorer for at least two 1990s