Winchmore Hill Cricket Club will break new ground this season when they start a section of the club devoted to girls and womens cricket. They are the first club in north London to do so.

They plan to provide practise and matches for all ages from eight upwards and want to establish links with local schools.

Winchmore Hill have been the leading Middlesex League Club for several seasons and plan to build on their current reputation with this unisex initiative.

They recently received a Sports Council grant of nearly £7,000 towards new net surfaces and this has allowed them sufficient practise facilities to expand their activities into female cricket.

Vice-Chairman Michael Bowen said: The support of the Sports Council has been crucial in our ambition to start womens cricket at the club. Previously our net facilities were inadequate, now we can cope with the extra demand.

We have unrivalled facilities in the area with three full size pitches, and this is the right opportunity for us to invest time and energy into womens cricket, which is currently growing rapidly in terms of importance and participation.

We have the support of the Sports Council, the Womens Cricket Association, the London Borough of Enfield Council and the London Community Cricket Association.

The Club has already landed a major representative womans cricket match; hosting a game between Middlesex and East Anglia at the Paulin Ground in June.

There are plans to develop links with local schools, and any prospective members should contact Frances Block on 0181 559 8466, Andy Milne on 0181 360 5471 or alternatively write to the Club Chairman, Terry Braithwaite, at 196 Sketty Road, Enfield.

Net practice for females of all ages begins at the Paulin Ground on May 7 at 6.00pm.

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