Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

43 Australia and New Zealand 1968-69 Thomas and Audrey Disbury. Lynne Thomas missed out and England made 270. The Telegraph said Enid Bakewell scores 113 on England debut’, mentioning (as Rachael would have known) that her previous best was 104 while at Dartford 14 . “At lunch England were 97 [for one] and on the resumption Bakewell and Heyhoe attacked the bowling and scored at will. Their quick running upset the Australian fielding. ‘A fine century’ said the Times , as indeed so did the Guardian , presumably since they both took the same agency report . At one point England had reached 175 for one, Rachael Heyhoe making 76. Bowling here was harder work for Enid, 22 overs and none for 70 as Australia scored 339 for seven declared, but the Australians had batted very slowly, and did not declare their first innings until lunchtime on the third day. Enid made another 37 runs in the second innings in a three day game that got nowhere near a finish – England on 192 for seven, 123 ahead with three wickets left. On the front of the Telegraph was a picture of the Earth taken by Apollo 8 but England bat briskly but only draw.... Enid Bakewell and Audrey Disbury made light of the Australian attack and put on 50 at a run a minute. The team moved on to Melbourne, where they had three games before the Second Test: against Victoria Juniors, Victoria Women, and a Victoria Select XI. Enid was rested from two of the games, but played in the two- day game against Victoria at St Kilda, making 59 (run out) of 193 for six declared and bowling eight overs for 22 as Victoria responded with 181 for three declared. England’s second inning was 187 for six declared, Enid making 18, but then with Victoria set 200 to win, Enid, brought on after seven overs, spun her magic and Victoria were bowled out for 60, with Enid taking seven for 28 in 11.3 overs. ‘Mrs Bakewell routs Victoria’, said the Telegraph , but it was taking an agency report, so had no more details. Enid had found her bowling form and was to manage five wickets in an innings another 11 times before the tour was over. For the next Test Shirley Hodges replaced Sheila Plant, who had chipped a finger, as wicketkeeper. Shirley would become Enid’s favourite wicketkeeper, making many stumpings off her bowling. Then came the Second Test, played at the St Kilda ground. England batted, ‘Enid Bakewell groped at an outswinger and was caught behind the wicket’, Audrey Disbury was also out quickly, but Edna Barker made 100, Rachael Heyhoe 54, and England declared at 254 for eight. By the close Enid had taken a wicket with the last ball of the day and Australia were 28 for three. Another wicket fell quickly next morning and they were soon 53 for five, but a painstaking 96 from Miriam Knee, finally out lifting a full toss from Enid to Lynne Thomas at midwicket, rescued the innings. Enid ended with four for 49 from 24.5 overs. Australia were all out for 216 not long before the close of play, with England 20 for no wicket at the end of the second day. Enid was out immediately next morning (five again) and England made a cautious 143 for seven declared, leaving Australia to make 182 in two hours, which they were never likely to attempt. From 37 overs they 14 Or, as reported at the time, 107