Warwickshire Women’s first ever Captain, who led the side in their debut season more than 20 years ago, has spoken of her pride at helping lay foundations for today’s professional Bears Women.
Louise Campton is the owner of Warwickshire Women cap #1.
She was one of 13 players who came together to form the Club’s fledgling women’s side in 1999 and competed in their first ECB competition in 2001.
“Some pitches we played matches on looked like they’d recently been grazed,” laughed Louise, who opened the batting as well as skippering the side.
“We’d arrive at a ground and ask where we were playing. Someone would point into the distance, to a fourth pitch. There were no dressing rooms. We’d hold up a towel for privacy as we were changing. There may have been someone walking past with a dog, but that’s all.
“But I think we knew we were starting something special.
“They were good days, hard work, but special memories. We were a close team and I can see being back at Edgbaston, and talking to the women players now, they have the same camaraderie.”
Louise, 50, and former teammate Natalie Chiswell (Warwickshire Women cap #5) have returned to Edgbaston to meet today’s Bears Women and tour their new training facilities, gym and high performance centre.
Bears Women are set to play in a new, fully-professional national women’s cricket structure starting in 2025.
They make their debut on 23 April against Hampshire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup. A debut at Edgbaston, which is now home.
“We didn’t have a home ground,” said Natalie, who was key in establishing the pioneering women’s side. “It depended what club or school had a pitch available. We occasionally played on the Colts ground, but never the main pitch.
“So for Bears Women to call Edgbaston home is amazing. Once or twice we were able to go on the main pitch for a session in preparation for playing. That in itself was amazing. To walk out there, the hairs on the back of your neck would stand up. It’s hallowed ground.
“It’s poles apart from when we played. But I don’t think the women now are spoiled. It’s deserved. It’s right that women’s cricket is being properly recognised, and another tier introduced to give girls something to aim for.
“The facilities here are incredible for the women. And they’re being worked hard. We looked in at the gym and they were doing some core stuff, and it was hurting just looking at it!”
Warwickshire Women’s cricket calendar in the early 2000s consisted mainly friendly matches building to a week-long ECB competition between county sides held at Cambridge University.
Bears Women will compete for trophies on three fronts in 2025: Vitality Blast, Metro Bank One Day Cup, and for the first time a knockout competition, the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, featuring sides from all three tiers of the national system.
They will continue the sequence of cap numbers that started with Louise in 2001. 119 caps have been presented to Warwickshire Women to date, with 11 more set to be awarded to Bears Women players this season.
Louise added: “It’s lovely that the history of the women’s side will be remembered in this way. All the women who came before today’s squad have each played their own small part in where we are now.
“Towards the end of our playing days, teenagers like Marie Kelly and Amy Jones were coming through. We’ve also helped coach players like Wongi (Issy Wong) and Georgia Davis (Bears Women Captain). You could see aged 12 or so how talented they were; it’s no surprise how they’ve progressed.
“Hopefully we’ve done our bit to inspire them and others. And encouraged them to play in the right way.
“It would have been fantastic to have been playing 20 years later, to be a part of this movement, and experience the professional set-up. But we’ll be doing the next best thing, supporting Bears Women as fans.”
Tickets for all Vitality Blast games, taking place at Edgbaston Stadium, are on sale now at Super Early Bird prices from only £10. Join us as we make history. Find out more about Bears Women and buy tickets online at edgbaston.com/bearswomen.
2025 Membership
It’s an historic year for the Club in 2025, as Bears Men and Women will compete side-by-side. Bears together.
Join the journey with Memberships available, including 1882 Full Club (all domestic cricket), our new B5 White Ball (T20, 50-Over and The Hundred) and Junior Bears (U16s).
