Women take Centre Stage

posted by John Winn

On Wednesday I made my first trip to Weetwood for this season. Plan A was to watch Leeds University Women's BUCS XI v Loughborough which I duly did and wickets were pitched at 11:00 on the main pitch in front of the pavilion. The morning was bright and sunny but as often the case in that part of the world a pesky breeze made me seek the shelter of the pavilion portico. As far I could judge I was the solitary spectator, others, who on another day might have been present, preferring the noise of the Headingley building site.

Leeds batted first and made decent progress against some wayward bowling and extras benefited from a number of wides. The introduction of spin at both ends brought an immediate change in fortunes and Sophia Dunkley who, just twenty, is an established Middlesex player, soon made the breakthrough. A couple of run outs didn't help and I sensed that the home team had felt from the get go that Loughborough would be too strong for them.

99 all out probably confirmed their first impressions and despite the early loss of Dunkley, Loughborough were making good progress when I decided to make my way home after a brief dalliance at the game underway on the second pitch. Leeds third XI were the hosts here and their visitors, York St John, had enjoyed their batting. At one time 300 was a possibility but the innings closed on 260. The minimalist result service on the BUCS website does not show whether this was all out but it proved 42 too many. Similarly the result for the women's game doesn't burden us with detail. Leeds 99, Loughborough 100 would suggest an exciting game of rugby but given the way Loughborough were batting it probably wasn't a nail biting finish.

The website is a bit more helpful with tables. In Northern 2B Bradford 1 are level at the top with YSJ, each with two wins. In the Women's Premier North Loughborough have three wins out of three and Leeds trail them by three points having played a game more. Leeds will be at home to Edinburgh next Wednesday. The visitors are bottom of the table but are on the up for having been out for ten against Leeds they improved to make 107 against Durham. This was still not enough to prevent a defeat by over 100 runs. Hard to imagine it will pull a much bigger crowd than Wednesday's.