On Saturday, 10 August, Nuneaton Cricket Club held a Charity Family Fun Day to celebrate women’s cricket and raise awareness and funds for local charities.
Over 100 people gathered to enjoy the sunshine, cricket, and the sense of community spirit. There were plenty of stalls and bouncy castles to keep everyone entertained.
Local teams Alderman Smith, Ambleside, Newdigate, Nuneaton, and Nuneaton Proud Marys competed on the day to win the John Yates Cup.
John Yates, a keen supporter of Nuneaton Cricket Club, passed away earlier this year. He strongly backed the newly formed female section, whose daughter Katie Yates proudly captains the team.
Katie Yates said, “It was a true pleasure to have all the ladies involved and see some amazing cricket being played.”
“It was a great day of round robin style cricket ending up with a very competitive final involving Alderman Smith, who had 4 wins in the group stages, and Nuneaton Ladies.”
Nuneaton Ladies batted first, finishing on 262. Alderman Smith presented a challenge, but three wickets in the first over set Nuneaton up for a great win.
Over the day, an impressive £4,000 was raised for the chosen charity, Alison Cope. The charity supports anti-violence, something that is close to the hearts of those at Nuneaton CC following the tragic and needless loss of Tom Ellis, an occasional player and the son of regular club member Chris Ellis.
Nuneaton hopes to make the day a yearly event and invite teams back to compete for the John Yates Cup next year.
Gabby Basketter, Women & Girls’ Club Development Officer, said “Looking back at this time last year there was little to no women’s cricket being played in this part of Warwickshire; it’s fantastic to see the growth and the passion for playing the game.”
“Saturday was a brilliant day and showed how Cricket can bring local communities together and a big congratulations to Katie and Nuneaton for pulling it off.”
Following conversations at the end of the 2023 season, the Nuneaton Thursday Cricket League committee completed a review of how the league could be improved.
Under the guidance of Nuneaton CC Chairman Mick Beale, a women’s softball league was established with 7 local teams competing, and it proved to be a massive success, much above anyone’s expectations.
Nuneaton’s setup fell to Katie Yates, a Nuneaton CC supporter, who took up the responsibility in memory of her father. Since the league’s creation, the team has had more than 25 players who play regularly.
On behalf of Nuneaton Cricket Club, they would like to express their thanks to everyone who supported the day, participated, and came to watch.