Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

42 Australia and New Zealand 1968-69 bowler at this stage, was down to bat at number eight. Western Australia were bowled out for 82 and in 12 overs Enid took 5 for 23 and Heather Dewdney four for 21. On the second day they followed on and were out cheaply again for 107, with Enid taking another five for 39. So in her first match in Australia she had taken ten wickets and the port and lemon was already flowing! The Nottinghamshire Guardian reported that ‘the Australians are still trying to sort out her left arm spin bowling. In fact one might say she is doing to the Australians what their ‘mystery’ spin bowler Johnny Gleeson threatened to do to our cricketing men last summer.’ Johnny Gleeson’s name is less familiar now, Then he had indeed been touted as a ‘mystery spinner’ and had taken 12 wickets at 34.75 against England in 1968. Although he played 29 Tests he never quite achieved the results some had expected. The tourists went on from that to play an Australian Combined XI at Perth (this time they did play at the WACA, it should be noticed, not some scruffy club ground) and scored 210 for nine declared. Enid made ten batting at number eight. The Combined XI scored 208 for eight declared and Enid had not much joy, taking none for 36 in seven overs. But she opened the batting in the second innings, allowing Audrey Disbury, already full of runs, to drop down the order. Enid scored only ten. Rachael Heyhoe made 103 not out and the game was drawn. But then it was a two-day match and it was asking a lot to expect a positive outcome. On then from Perth to Adelaide (presumably by train across the Nullarbor Plain) to play a two-day game against South Australia Women. This was played at Angaston, a small town in the Barossa Valley, known for its wine. Enid opened again but scored only two in a total of 181. South Australia were out for 88 with Enid, getting on fairly late, taking two for 13 in six overs. In the England second innings she found her feet, making 60 not out as they reached 134 for three declared, and then took three for 37 to help bowl England to a win. The Canberra Times said: “The touring English women’s cricket team beat South Australia with half an hour to spare by 114 runs in a two-day match at Angaston Oval on Saturday. It was the English spinners Anne Sanders of Middlesex, Enid Bakewell of Midlands and vice-captain Edna Barker of Surrey who made short work of the SA team in the second innings after fast opening pair June Moorhouse of Yorkshire and Carole Evans of Wales had done the softening-up for the first eight overs. This was followed by a one-day game (though with no over limit) on Christmas Eve against the same opposition in Adelaide. South Australia made 160 for seven declared, Enid taking three for 32. She then made two opening the innings as England stumbled to 108 for seven and the draw. The first Test began at the Barton Oval (or Thebarton Oval, depending who you ask), Adelaide, on December 27. Enid was going to be picked for her bowling, but was competing for an opening batting place with Lynne