Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

47 Enid’s exploits on tour earned her an article to herself in Wisden 1970, the report written by Netta Rheinberg. Rachael points out that this is the first article about a women cricketer to appear in Wisden . Mrs Enid Bakewell (Notts) on her first major tour, soon came into the limelight and never lost her amazing form. She is the subject of a special feature earlier in this edition, the first woman to be so honoured, and no more need be said here except that, star as she was, she had the advantage of a strong supporting cast. Netta Rheinberg goes on to say: slight of build and small in stature, Enid has been described as ‘diminutive’ and a ‘tiny blonde’. Although she is small, she is athletically built and gives an impression of freshness, alertness and quick-wittedness, following many previous cricketers of less than average build in nimbleness of footwork and quick reflex action. Wisden gives the scores of the Test matches in full but has nothing on other matches. The scores were there as the article points out that in all matches Enid scored 1031 runs and took 118 wickets. In the Tests Enid had scored 601 runs at an average of 60.10 (with three centuries) and took 26 wickets at 18.34. She topped the batting averages and bowled almost twice as many overs as anyone else. If not quite a household name, she returned home an unexpected star. Australia and New Zealand 1968-69