Cheltenham Cricket Club Women - Head to Premier League
5th January 2024
Following on from their successful season in 2023 Cheltenham Women will be joining the Women's West of England Premier League for 2024.
Cheltenham earned the invitation after winning the GCF's 35 over league last summer at the first time of asking.
With no automatic right of promotion up to WEPL Cheltenham had to wait to see if their inclusion would be ratified by the WEPL league.
That decision was not just based on playing ability but also the infrastructure of the club and its capability of providing cricket at the highest standard. Cheltenham will now travel all over the South West of England facing teams in Wiltshire and Somerset.
“We are incredibly excited by this opportunity and relish the challenge,” said Women's Captain Jen Cooper.
“This would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire squad. To think women's cricket at Cheltenham only formally started in 2018, to now be in the premier competition five years later is outstanding,” she added.
Women's cricket at Cheltenham continues to thrive into 2024. With the first of the junior girls now making their way through the system into senior cricket a Women's 2nd XI will now be formed to incorporate the additional numbers.
Girls’ cricket at Cheltenham is also flourishing with over 100 girls playing at the club in 2023.
This coming season will see girls’ squads from Under 9 through to Under 18, with 13 girls being part of the County Training Squads.
The club will look to build on last summer’s success where the U11 softball, U13 softball, and U13 hardball teams all won their respective leagues, and the U13s had a fantastic run to the last 16 of the national cup.
Further exciting news is that Georgia Atkinson has become Cheltenham Cricket Club’s first ever female overseas player.
The 23-year-old New Zealander will play for the women’s team in their inaugural season in the West of Premier League following promotion last year.
A leg spinner and explosive batter, Georgia has amassed more than 100 appearances in List A and T20 for Central Hinds, who are one of the six regional sides that compete in the country’s national competitions.
She has also played in the New Zealand national Development side and harbours ambitions of gaining full international honours in the future.
The allrounder, who is also a qualified coach, will play for Cheltenham women and coach the club’s junior players. She will also play league cricket in the men’s teams on weekends when there are no women’s WEPL matches.
The signing has been hailed as a game changer by Cheltenham CC director of cricket, Luke Sellers.
“We are hugely excited with the signing of Georgia as our first ever female overseas player,” he said.
“The move has been made in recognition of the outstanding progress made by our women’s team in recent seasons and the continued growth of our junior girls’ squads.
“Having secured someone of Georgia’s class and experience is a real coup for the club. As well as making significant contributions on the pitch, she will also have a huge impact off it as a skilled coach and role model for our young players.
“The fact that she is also willing to play men’s club cricket is also a boost. Not only will she improve the team she plays in, I hope she will also be a trailblazer for other female players to follow in her footsteps and seek to play both women’s and men’s cricket for Cheltenham. This is an historic moment for our club,” he added.
Georgia will head to Cheltenham after the conclusion of her season in New Zealand, arriving in late April. She has got off to a flying start in this year’s national one-day competition.
For more information please contact Matt Baker matt.baker@wearedestination.com