Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

26 and although she did not want to go home as she felt her over-protective mother would smother her, she had to. Also while she was at college she had all her teeth out (she had four out before she left school) and has had false teeth ever since: it sounds barbaric but had been very common, particularly in pre-NHS days, because it saved the cost of constant visits to the dentist. Enid says I decided to have all my teeth out to save money as it cost nothing if you were under 21. The water at home was brown from the colliery and Enid’s mother didn’t let her drink it, but replaced it with very sugary drinks which were no good at all for her teeth. Colin would come down and stay with a friend in London, sometimes sleeping in the bath. Her illness was to mean that she had to take an extra term at Dartford to complete her work. So in 1960 she played occasionally for Nottinghamshire but was also now playing for Dartford College of Physical Education. As early as April 30 she scored 17 as Dartford made 59 for one to beat Gunnersbury by nine wickets; by May 21 she top scored for Notts against Warwickshire (though with a mere 12). On June 25 she scored 43 in Dartford’s 123 for seven declared, which was enough to beat Kent II’s 58. During the month she played for Miss Hide’s XI against Surrey and for a Middlesex WCA’s Dartford Dartford cricket team, 1959; Enid is standing on the right.