Oswestry Cricket Club’s successful Women & Girls’(WaGs) section will host an exciting celebration of women’s cricket at the club’s Stonehouse Oval ground in Morda Road on Sunday 5 July.

The day-long event starts with a Festival of Softball Cricket, Culture & Community, exclusively sponsored by leading Shropshire law firm, Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors. The action starts at 9:30am with nine women’s and girls’ teams, including three U11s sides, participating in a round robin competition under the aegis of Cricket Shropshire.

The profile of women’s cricket has been turbocharged this summer with England hosting the ICC’s Women’s T20 World Cup tournament. Played across June and culminating in the final at Lord’s on the afternoon of 5 July, the ICC tournament featured 12 of the world’s best international women’s cricket teams playing to huge crowds in some of England’s most iconic cricket venues, including Edgbaston, Old Trafford, The Oval and Lords.

On a more local level, Oswestry’s WaGs are fully embracing the carnival spirit created by the Women’s T20 World Cup competition and will conclude their morning softball festival with a celebratory T20 Women’s World Cup Final watch party and luncheon in the main pavilion in the afternoon.

“We’ll be tapping into that huge occasion for female cricket in a big way with a celebration of our own women’s cricket in our fantastic pavilion,” said Oswestry WaGs Team Manager, Jools Payne. “We’ll have the Lord’s final on the big screen, the Prosecco flowing, and the whole place will be festooned with Women’s T20 World Cup branded flags, bunting, balloons and banners.

The private luncheon will feature traditional dishes that reflect the cricketing nations taking part in the World Cup tournament.

“We’ll be dining on tasty samosas, pakoras, bhajis and South Asian curries, generously donated by our friends at Oswestry’s Simla Restaurant as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. So, a massive shout out to George and Julie for their much-appreciated support,” added Jools.

“We’ll have jerk chicken, rice and peas, New Zealand kiwi fruits and juicy citrus fruits from South Africa. Naturally, England will be represented by a traditional English cricket tea, so there will be scones and jam, and sandwiches … with the crusts cut off of course,” she laughed.

“And no Aussie cricket tea is complete without a Lamington cake or Pavlova, so players can expect to see those on the buffet table too, as well as haggis fritters and chocolate Guinness cake – yes, Scotland and Ireland both qualified for the tournament.”

The festival event will also feature pitchside fun and games for players’ families led by qualified UEFA C and FAW coach, Erin Oakley from The Oakley Method, including cricket, mini-football, tennis, paddle, and skills challenges.

Welshpool Printing Group (WPG) is sponsoring the festival’s Player of the Tournament awards for the best adult and best U11s performers. Festival sponsors Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors will also make a special award for the festival’s Most Memorable Moment, judged by the match officials.

Whilst spectators are warmly encouraged to come along to watch the festival action, only pre-registered teams, sponsors and guests will be able to access the watch party and luncheon in the main pavilion with an official event wrist band.

The club’s Gwilym Owen bar at the car park end of the pavilion will however be open to spectators from 9 am for soft drinks and snacks and will be serving alcoholic beverages from 11am–9 pm.

Oswestry WaGs are looking forward to their Softball Festival of Cricket, Culture & Community on Sunday 5 July. Spectators welcome

Photo credit: Nicola Jermaine-Jones.