Derbyshire Women’s Rachel Hopkins will be the first female captain in more than 250 years of men’s cricket in Derbyshire this summer.
Hopkins, who is also a Cricket Development Coach at the Derbyshire Cricket Board, will take up her role as captain of Sawley & Long Eaton Park Cricket Club 2nd XI for the 2016 season. It makes her one of only a few women captains of a men’s team in the country.
Hopkins (pictured above, fourth from the right) and the rest of the Derbyshire Women’s squad, sponsored by Briggs of Burton, are playing a leading role in the Club’s bid for Derby to be a host city at the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The bid included the production of a giant set of stumps on the gateway to the city on the Pentagon Island, while the Derbyshire Women’s side competed in a Twenty20 double-header against Worcestershire ahead of the men’s game at The 3aaa County Ground in 2015 – and the Club are planning another double header in 2016.
Speaking about the Sawley & Long Eaton Park Cricket Club 2nd XI captaincy, Hopkins said: “It isn’t an opportunity I thought would come around but, in the committee meeting when I was put forward, I was pleasantly surprised to be honest.
“When I rock up on a Saturday I’m one of the boys really so it hasn’t really phased me. Having the captaincy role is going to put me outside my comfort zone. It’s going to be tough but I’m looking forward to it.”
Sawley & Long Eaton Park Cricket Club Chairman, Andrew James added: “Rachel and her family have been a part of this club for many years and she stood out as the obvious choice when we were looking for a second eleven captain.
“Yes, she’s an inspiration for the girls at our club and across Derbyshire, but Rachel can look after herself out in the middle with the blokes. She’s as good at cricketing banter as she is with the bat and ball.”
Rachel will be on ITV Central Tonight on Friday 22nd January, to be aired at 6.00pm on ITV.
To read more about women’s cricket in Derbyshire, click HERE.
