Middlesex Women announce squad for 2017 season
Middlesex Women have announced their First Team Squad for the 2017 season, with both Gayatri Gole and Katie Wolfe being added to the senior squad for the first time.
The addition of both Gole and Wolfe blends both youth and experience in the Middlesex Women’s squad, who will compete in Division One of both the ECB Women’s County Championship and the Women’s T20 Championship.
Both Gayatri and Katie have come through the Middlesex Girls Youth system, joining a further eight players who have previously graduated to the First Team.
Gayatri Gole first featured for Middlesex as an under 11 and is now in her tenth season representing the county. During this time Gayatri has played for all age group sides, with her performances for the under 19’s in 2016 resulting in her senior First Eleven debut verses Yorkshire at the end of the 2016 season.
Katie Wolfe first represented Middlesex in 2013 as an under 13 and has since progressed through all the girls age groups. Katie’s 2016 season saw her take 24 wickets for the Middlesex under 15 and under 19 sides, contributing to her selection for to the England Women’s Academy in the autumn of 2016.
Middlesex Women’s Coach, Sanjay Patel, commented on the selection of Gayatri and Katie:
“Both girls have stood out during our winter training period. As seamers they offer an exciting option with the ball and bring plenty of athleticism in the field.
“Their selection is testament to the hard work that they have put in over the last twelve months and we look forward to them applying pressure on the more senior bowlers in the squad.”
As a squad the women will be looking to build on their sixth and third place finishes in the County Championship and T20 Championship respectively last year.
All members of the squad have been working hard over the winter, both with Middlesex and away from the county. Fran Wilson has been spent the winter representing England in Sri Lanka before moving on to play for New Zealand State side Wellington Blaze. Sophia Dunkley was included in the England Academy tours to both UAE and India over the winter, whilst Naomi Dattani has been playing club cricket in Melbourne over the winter. The remainder of the squad have been training together since November, in preparation for the 2017 campaign.
Looking ahead to the season, Middlesex Women’s First Team Captain Izzy Westbury said:
“It’s really exciting to welcome both Gayatri and Katie into the squad. One of Middlesex’s biggest strengths is its excellent youth system and pathways both into the Middlesex First Team and beyond. There are so many people who work and volunteer a lot of time to Middlesex’s future stars, and Gayatri and Katie’s progression, as well as the phenomenal conversion rate of youth representatives to First Team representatives is testament to that.
“As a side we’ve felt for a few seasons now that we’ve had the potential to achieve great things, but now we want to convert that potential into tangible results. We’ve worked hard over the winter and the competition for places is bigger than ever – now it’s time to deliver.”
Middlesex Women’s Championship campaign gets under way with an away tie versus Lancashire on April 30th and their T20 Championship begins on June 18th at home to Sussex at Merchant Taylors’ School.
For the full list of Middlesex Women’s fixtures, click HERE
Middlesex Women 1st Team Squad 2017:
Squad number | Player | Club |
1 | India Whitty | Finchley Gunns CC |
3 | Cath Dalton | Finchley Gunns CC |
4 | Fran Wilson | Bath CC |
5 | Beth Morgan | Finchley Gunns CC |
6 | Izzy Westbury | Bath CC |
7 | Ria Raval | Finchley Gunns CC |
8 | Natasha Miles | Finchley Gunns CC |
9 | Hannah Wakeman | Finchley Gunns CC |
10 | Katie Wolfe | Ickenham CC |
11 | Naomi Dattani | Finchley Gunns CC |
12 | Gayatri Gole | Finchley Gunns CC/North London CC |
14 | Sophia Dunkley | Finchley Gunns CC |
15 | Milly Pope | Finchley Gunns CC/North London CC |
16 | Maia Bouchier | Primrose Hill CC |
