New Zealand International joins South Northumberland Cricket Club coaching team

The New Zealand International will join the club in May, offering group coaching and 121 training sessions and be a key player in the club’s development plans.

Last year more people than ever watched women’s sport in the UK, cricket being no exception. At South Northumberland Cricket Club in Gosforth, Newcastle, growth has well-exceeded the national average.

Through a strategic plan and several partnerships, the number of female players at South Northumberland Cricket Club has increased by 60% to a total of 120, setting an example for other clubs across the UK.

In line with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘Inspire Inclusion’, the club’s goal is to get as many girls and women into cricket as possible.

Missy says: “With women breaking into any industry or sport role models are key. If young women can’t see female players at a senior level, then it’s hard to imagine themselves there one day; If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.

“I’m looking forward to joining the club and playing in the UK but what I am most excited about is continuing the brilliant work the club are doing to engage women and girls in the sport.”

Howard Sidney-Wilmot, president and chairman of South Northumberland Cricket Club, says: “It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket and we’re seeing rapid development”

“We have softball and hardball classes for women and girls of all ages, starting as young as two years old.

“We have ambitions for our club to continue to be at the forefront of women’s cricket, this has meant working hand-in-hand with schools, the ECB and other partnerships but it has also meant shifting the culture, embedding equal opportunities and giving the sport the attention it truly deserves.”