Lives in Cricket No 49 - Enid Bakewell

94 1986 onwards 1 they lost to Surrey. East Midlands made 199 (Enid 86), Surrey 200 for eight. Cathy Harris was there for the Times and talks of an accomplished innings … ruthless with anything short [she] continually stole quick singles and used her feet against the spinners. It suggested that (at 47) she had strengthened her case for a recall to the World Cup party. On August 20 East Midlands played Middlesex. East Midlands 127 for six declared (Enid 40) Middlesex 83 for six (Enid 9-0-36-5) In the Women’s Territorial Tournament, playing for MidWest, Enid bowled tightly, her 33 overs overall costing only 83 runs and with four wickets. The logic under which the East Midlands could be part of the MidWest is not obvious. August 27: Midwest 150 for nine (Enid 22 run out), North 151 for four (Enid 11-1-33-2); August 28: Midwest 150 for seven declared (Enid nought), East 122 (Enid 11-4-25-1); and August 29: Midwest 168 for nine (Enid 47), South 98 (Enid 11-2-25-1). At Cricket Week she ran her own team again, taking three for 33 against “Brittin”, four for 43 against “Humphries”, and making 77 not out against “Stother”. Enid also played for England Probables against Possibles (though she was initially selected for the Possibles) with a view to World Cup selection. According to Cathy Harris, there was much unhappiness about the selections for this, with Megan Lear, who was trying to force an EGM on the issue, quoted as asking ‘why, if the selectors are pursuing a youth policy, they have chosen Bakewell who is 48’ (actually 47). This was played at Birmingham on September 11. Possibles made 186 for seven (Enid 11-1-45-2), the Probables 119 (Enid 19). She was not selected. This, according to the Women’s Cricket history website, was the first year of a new national club league, and all the fixtures are listed on CricketArchive , but there are no available scores at all. The country was split into four and Nottingham would play in the North region. In October Enid played in a challenge indoor match against Aston Villa (most of the first team) which the women won. Villa challenged them to an outdoor rematch in the following summer. In 1989 Nottingham would win the junior indoor six-a-side again. The ‘golden oldies’ tournament happened in Australia, but was largely rained off and Enid had withdrawn. There is a notice in WCA News about the Australian Masters’ Games in October 1989, the second running of what has since become a biennial tournament. Enid remembers going to Australia with ‘some other internationals’ organised by Megan Lear, but is not sure in what year.. Enid was now the Player’s Representative on the WCA Committee. The possibility of an international return had still not disappeared, and in 1989 she was picked for the selection matches, three games at Warwick at the end of May Spring Bank Holiday. The first game was reduced to 17