Women make history in men's match

Natalie Heap and Megan White have become the first pair of female bowlers to open the bowling for a men's team in a competitive match.

They each took a wicket and then White, a former Australia player who is now playing for Cheshire, made 31 not out to help clinch the Gladstone-Lyttelton Shield for Welsh side Hawarden against Worcestershire's Hagley. Heap, 17, is likely to feature for Cheshire in the future and already plays in the women's Premier League North.

The Gladstone-Lyttelton Shield has been contested between the two clubs since 1867 - which were both founded by the Lyttletons of Hagley Hall, including the Test player Alfred. Prime minister Gladstone also had a hand in founding the club.

Hawarden's fourth, and most recent, Test player Bob Barber flew from his home in Switzerland to attend the game.

Hawarden captain Tim Newhouse had no hesitation in giving the new ball to the pair. "They are outstanding outswing bowlers who ask a lot of questions of opposition batsmen," he told Cricinfo. "Megan kept things really tight, only going for 17 runs in her seven overs. Both she and Natalie would have had two wickets if we'd held our catches."

I had planned to get Megan to bowl four overs of medium pace and then return later for three overs of off-spin. But she was bowling so well I couldn't take her off."

Craig Bevan, with 2 for 12, and Tom Murray, 3 for 13, completed the good work for Hawarden with the ball. A key third-wicket partnership of 42 between Newhouse (21) and White then helped them home.

"One of the great things to come from the day," Newhouse added, "is that Hagley has now said it will try to develop female cricket in Worcestershire."

Hawarden themselves only set up a women's team this year. They now have 21 players and play in Cheshire Division 2.