World Cup winners come to Eastbourne
James Coyne reports as Alan Wells’
charges at Bede’s had a glimpse at
the World Cup-winning expertise of
England WomenIt was not entirely a first, but it was the
first time a reigning World Cup-winning
team had played against a school team.
England Women geared up for their
impending summer series against South
Africa and New Zealand by taking on
Bede’s School, Eastbourne, in a T20match at their terrific ground within sight
of the English Channel.
In recent summers, England Women
have taken on schools and boys’ county
age-group sides as a way of ensuring they
face seamers of comparable pace to their
own game, and on good pitches. But it
was even more informative for the school
players.
“It was a brilliant experience for our
lads,” said Alan Wells, the former Sussex
captain who is director of cricket at
Bede’s. “It rammed it home to our guys
when we needed 50-something off two
overs – so we had no chance to win, really- and yet Tammy Beaumont was out on
the boundary still diving full-stretch to
stop the ball.
“That positive intent the women
showed was the highlight of the game.
Their decision-making was superb.
They weren’t always looking to play a big
shot, but at the very minimum they were
working a single.
“I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by
anything, given how far the women’s
game has come in recent years, but I was
still taken aback with how frequently they
cleared the boundary. They were hitting
inside-outs over extra cover, which I don’t
Schools Bede’s School, Eastbourne v England Women T20 friendly
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think many women’s players were doing a
few years ago.
“We bowled tightly, but we didn’t bat
with the same intent as they did. And we
finished up 50 short.”
Another shot the Bede’s boys saw
plenty of was the scoop over the
wicketkeeper’s head, which was
testament to the pace of the Bede’s
pitch so early in the season. International
women’s coaches, including England
head coach Mark Robinson, are
constantly pleading for quick pitches. It
helps with the range of strokes, but also
obliges women’s bowlers to adapt their
art rather than just rely on putting it on
the spot with medium-pace or lob-ups.
Beaumont opened the batting with
Amy Jones, and they showed their class
as they set about an opening partnership
of 87 in the first half of the innings, before
England wound up on an imposing 179
for 5. Nat Sciver struck five fours in a row
before being bowled by Tom Gordon
for 46.
Jones also kept wicket, which meant
a rare day in the field for England’s No.1
wicketkeeper, Sarah Taylor, who enjoyed
taking a sprawling catch at mid-on to
dismiss Gordon. Scott Lenham, son of
Neil, the former Sussex allrounder and
now cricket professional at Bede’s, top-
scored with 47 from 36 balls as the home
side fell short by 52 runs.
Sussex has traditionally been a hotbed
of women’s cricket, and girls have broken
into the Bede’s 1st XI in recent years –
including Carla Rudd and Chiara Green,
who have both played for Sussex Women,
and Rudd for Southern Vipers in the Kia
Super League.
It was a particularly sweet homecoming
for Taylor, who attended Bede’s Prep
before going on to Brighton College.
She had a reunion with Neil’s wife Petch
Lenham, the longstanding head of hockey
at Bede’s, who was one of her early
cricketing mentors. Petch’s father, Peter
Pyemont, was a former headmaster at
Bede’s, and her cousin, James Pyemont,
has just been appointed the ECB’s new
head of integrity.
The learning continued into the
evening, when Robinson, a former Sussex
men’s coach, and captain Heather Knight
held a Q&A event at the school.
And, while Bede’s lost the match, it
was ideal preparation for the LangdaleAbove
Amy Jones flays
through the offside
below
Henry Crocombe
took two wickets
for Bede’s
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