Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

93 1986 onwards She played for East Midlands in the regular Area tournament at Cambridge, where they won three games out of four to finish second. Against Sussex Enid scored 98 not out (from 161 for 2). ‘Some vintage Enid Bakewell batting’, said the WCA Bulletin. When they lost to Kent she top scored with 36 out of 139 for nine, made 24 against East Anglia, and against Lancashire & Cheshire took five for 20 and scored 42 of a winning total of 143 for seven. On July 1 Enid bowled three overs and took four for four against Don Munden’s XI, presumably a men’s team. Don Munden, brother of Leicestershire stalwart Vic, after a few games for Leicestershire in the 1960s had settled to play for Loughborough Town. The 1988 World Cup would be in Australia and there was talk of a ‘golden oldies’ over-40 team going for a tournament as well, but it didn’t happen at this time. Enid played in Cricket Week this year but did not lead her own team, playing for J Powell’s XI. She made 50 in the first game, 66 not out in the second, took three for four in the third and finally four for 46 on the Saturday in a score of 227 for six. The Autumn 1987 edition of WCA News has a piece about Enid following in her father’s footsteps in being elected to Ashfield District Council (and being bitten by a dog on the first day of canvassing); the dog owner asked ‘Didn’t you see the sign?’ and Enid’s comment was ‘I wouldn’t have minded if she’d asked me if I was all right!’ Enid topped the poll and said ‘it helps, living in the ward’ and suggested that I once wanted to be an MP and if the occasion arose I might have higher aspirations, you never know. In 1988 East Midlands won the eight-a-side indoor tournament again. WCA News said Enid had been selected for the ‘golden oldies’ tournament in Sydney in December. but later was ‘an unfortunate late withdrawal’ from the squad (and indeed it didn’t happen at all at this time, though Enid was to be involved in a team taken by Megan Lear to the ‘Masters’ Games’). The Times got very excited at one point this year. ‘Bakewell returns to England sphere’, wrote Cathy Harris about her selection for what it described as an England XI against the Rest at Worcester. This would have been on July 3 and teams had been selected. However, it was one of those days and cricket was washed out all over the country, presumably including this trial. Her achievements this year, it said, included 154 in a league game and 77 not out against Yorkshire. It also mentions that she was busy with her ‘political activities’ on the district council. Enid was quoted as saying I’m still very enthusiastic and would love to play in the World Cup. I still take wickets because I’m not afraid to get the batsmen to play their shot. The younger bowlers haven’t succeeded yet because they haven’t learned to toss the ball up. There were Area Championship matches. On July 30 East Midlands scored 275 for seven declared (of which Enid made 47) Sussex all out 40. Enid was not needed to bowl. The next day they beat Lancashire & Cheshire, who made 187 for six and East Midlands 191 for four (Enid 41). Then on August