Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

62 Chapter Nine 1973 to 1976 In the 1974 Women’s Cricket Association yearbook, Mr TL Turton is shown as president of the North Midlands Area, Mrs Enid Bakewell as Area Public Relations Officer. Enid is also shown as a member of the North Midlands coaching panel and holding an MCC or NCA Youth Coaching certificate (the 1975 yearbook shows the same). Strangely enough, Enid has no recollection of her father being involved! Enid was also announced as captain of the North Midlands team, and later in the year as captain of the England team for the trial matches (Rachael Heyhoe Flint was not available, having had a son in June). Cricket Archive has just one score from 1974, for England Women against the Rest at Leicester on July 19 and 20, starting on yet another grey, chilly day. Enid, captaining the England side, came in at number three and, possibly unnerved by coming in at 188 for one, was out for a duck. England declared at 209 for three. In reply the Rest declared at 136 for seven (Enid 15-5-35-2) and England‘s second innings was declared at 82 for four, Enid run out for 35. At the end the Rest were hanging on at 128 for seven, and Enid in 12 overs had taken six for 27. It appears that on August 4 the women played Old England again at the Oval. Of the 1974 game, David Hunn wrote, somewhat archly, in the Observer: Last August the biggest crowd ever to watch women play cricket flocked to the Oval to see Rachael Flint’s maidens do battle with the gentlemen of Old England. They’re at it again today, though as it’s Mrs Flint’s return to serious activity after a spell of motherhood, the side is led by the new England captain, Enid Bakewell. “Doughty fighters though they are, the women would be pleased to see Test fast bowler Fred Rumsey (marginally old at 39) concentrate on his off drives, and mighty Tom Graveney working on his leg-breaks, even though 21 years ago he did take five for 28 against Derby. “Most of all they hope for an improvement in the financial arrangements which last year allowed the men’s and women’s cricket associations to share net proceeds of £200 from a gate of 1,200. Enid was not on the list for the WCA Cricket Week this year. Records for club and country are very sparse at this time, but North Midlands played Yorkshire at Burton and lost (Yorkshire 150 for five declared, Enid three for 46, and North Midlands 58, of which Enid made 31). Sometime in 1974 Enid played in two games which were part of the benefit