As the 2023 Club Cricket season draws to a close, we take a look at another brilliant season across the county.
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
The 2023 season saw five Derbyshire-based teams compete in the East Midlands Women’s Cricket League throughout the summer. Spondon CC came runners-up in the Premier Division, with Lauren Tuffey and Emma Thatcher of Spondon the league’s joint top wicket takers, with 13 dismissals.
EMWCL Division One contained three Derbyshire sides: Ockbrook and Borrowash, Cutthorpe and Denby. Sophia McCollum (Cutthorpe) had an impressive season, finishing as the leading run scorer of the division, with 594 runs at an average of 66. Denby narrowly missed out on promotion by 13 points, coming runners-up to eventual league winners Gedling Colliery CC. The fifth Derbyshire-based side Duffield CC finished third in EMWCL Division 2.
Super 8’s
The Super 8’s included a record number of entries for 2023, with many new clubs trying hardball cricket for the first time. The Super 8’s format is pairs cricket, giving an opportunity to players of all abilities to experience cricket, at a less pressurised level. It provides as an entry point for women’s hardball cricket, with various Derbyshire sides competed over the eight divisions in the league, such as:
Ockbrook and Borrowash
Cutthorpe
Denby
Clifton
Belper Meadows
Long Eaton
Ilkeston Rutland
Langley Mill
Matlock and Cromford
EMWCL Softball Finals Day
The competition saw a record 25 clubs enter a team throughout the season over nine divisions throughout the region. The culmination of the Women’s softball season saw the Finals Day hosted at The Incora County Ground, with the top two sides from each region of Division 1 progressing through to the knockout stages. Derbyshire sides Holmesfield, Long Eaton and Belper Amateurs were successful in progressing through to Finals Day.
After closely fought matches over the course of the day, Belper Amateurs emerged victorious with a 16-run victory over Newark Ransome & Marles CC. The outstanding performance of the day came from Emily Douglas-Gilbert, who amassed 116 runs and took eight wickets in the three games she played on Finals Day.
Derbyshire County Cricket League
In the men’s cricket leagues, Swarkestone CC successfully defended their Premier Division title, with Derbyshire County Cricket Club staff member Alex Hughes (Analyst & Support Coach) captaining the side to success.
In Division 1, Belper Meadows CC were champions, achieving back-to-back league promotions to enter the Premier Division for 2024. Sawley CC finished runners-up and will join them next year, with Eckington CC and Ticknall CC the unfortunate sides to be relegated out of the top division.
At Division 2, Ockbrook & Borrowash CC were pipped to promotion on the final day of the season, as defeat to Spondon CC meant Alfreton CC finished runners-up to league winners Clowne Town CC.
There was also last day drama in Division 3 North, as Buxton CC were defeated gifting Glapwell Colliery CC the title after their win over Matlock and Cromford Meadows CC. Division 3 South saw Swarkestone CC 2nd XI claim the title, much like their 1st XI in the Premier Division.
The rest of the league winners were as follows:
Premier Division: Swarkestone CC
Division 1: Belper Meadows CC
Division 2: Clowne Town CC
Division 3 North: Glapwell Colliery CC
Division 3 South: Swarkestone CC
Division 4 North: Riddings CC
Division 4 South: Hartshorne CC
Division 5 North: Duffield CC
Division 5 South: Hilton CC
Division 6 North: Ashbourne CC
Division 6 South: Allestree CC
Division 7 North: South Wingfield CC
Division 7 South: Swarkestone CC
Division 8 North: Belper Meadows CC
Division 8 South: Hilton CC
Division 9 North: Buxton CC
Division 9 South: Tutbury CC
Division 10 North: Alfreton CC
Division 10 Central: Mickleover CC
Division 10 South: Brailsford & Ednaston CC
The top performers across all leagues were leading wicket taker Muhammad Tayyub Saeed of Elvaston CC who took 58 wickets in the league, with Jamie Madin of Calow CC scoring a mammoth 1187 runs in only 16 innings.
The top five innings were:
Jamie Madin (254*) Calow CC
Joshua Womble (252*) Clowne Town CC
Hassan Alraee (204*) Allestree CC
Ben Slater (203) Chesterfield CC
William Roobottom (199) Kings Bromley CC
The top five bowling innings were:
Jack Ashcroft (9/18) Hartshorne CC
Jared Spencer (9/26) Tutbury CC
Fran Slater (8/14) Buxton CC
Kiegen Wing (8/15) Langley Mill United
Nick Thompson (8/20) Etwall CC
Congratulations to all the successful this season, and commiserations to teams who have been relegated – we look forward to seeing you bounce back in 2024!
