England cricket legend inspires Blidworth women’s team
Blidworth Colliery Cricket Club’s women’s section were honoured this week to welcome true England cricket royalty to their training session - Enid Bakewell MBE.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of women’s cricket, Enid joined the team’s indoor training evening, getting fully involved in the session, sharing her knowledge, offering tips to players, and inspiring everyone in attendance.
In a moment the club will treasure, Enid also donated one of her old England bats — used during her playing career — which will be displayed and signed in the club pavilion later this year. She told the team she loved the session and plans to return in the summer, whether to play, watch, or continue supporting the growing women’s section.
Enid’s visit marks a truly special moment for Blidworth’s expanding women’s team and highlights the continued rise of women’s cricket at grassroots level in the community.
Enid Bakewell MBE played for England between 1968 and 1982 and is celebrated as one of the finest women’s all-rounders the game has ever seen. She scored more than 1,000 Test runs at an average close to 60 and took 50 Test wickets — an exceptional achievement in both disciplines.
She was also a key figure in England’s victory at the inaugural Women’s Cricket World Cup in 1973, where she was the tournament’s leading run-scorer and hit an unbeaten 118 in the final against Australia.
Her extraordinary contribution to the sport has been recognised with induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to women’s cricket. Even in later years, Enid has continued to play and support the game, inspiring new generations of cricketers.
Blidworth Colliery CC’s women’s section continues to grow and welcomes new players of all ages and abilities. Anyone interested in joining can contact the club via their social media pages.