A look at Suffolk Women’s opponents

January 28, 2025

AS Suffolk Women gear up for their first taste of life in Tier 3, Jack Oastler looks at who they will be facing this season.

Huntingdonshire & Bedfordshire are Suffolk’s most local opponents. The two counties have competed together at age-group level under the Cricket East banner for the last few years, and are now taking their alliance into senior cricket.

While Bedfordshire have not had a women’s side since 2014, Huntingdonshire re-entered the system in 2020 following the dissolution of the combined Cambs and Hunts team.

In the years since, Suffolk have visited Ramsey twice – for two T20s in 2021, and a 45-over match in 2023. Courtesy of half-centuries for all-rounder Immy Sidhu (pictured above) in each game, Suffolk won all three.

In 2024, Hunts competed in the same 50-over Championship group as Suffolk – although the fixtures were allocated in a way that meant the two teams never actually met. Suffolk finished fifth out of ten, while Hunts claimed the wooden spoon – and started a collection, finishing last in their T20 group too.

Moving south-west – we’re going to be doing a lot of that – we come to Oxfordshire. Historically, they have punched above their weight as a Minor County – the women were consistently successful in the late 2010s, while the men have a reputation for producing first-class cricketers.

Last year was a very mixed bag for the county. They had a poor 50-over season, with just one win on their way to eighth place. In the T20 tournament, however, they finished third out of nine – outperforming Gloucestershire, and comprehensively beating now-Tier 1 Somerset.

The mastermind of that victory, with 84 not out, was 18-year-old Abi Norgrove. She was recently named England Under-19 captain for the World Cup in Malaysia. Her home county may not see much of her, though: she signed her first professional contract with Hampshire this winter, having been a regular at Southern Vipers in 2024.

Next up are Dorset. They struggled through 2024 – finishing second-last in both formats. Their solitary win came in a T20 against Cornwall, where Sarah Matthews scored back-to-back fours to chase 140 off the last ball after Megan Bishop’s 58.

They ended the season on a positive note, with a tie against Somerset. Bishop was central again, following figures of 3-21 with an unbeaten 69 in the chase, but she was stuck at the other end as their last wicket fell with scores level.

Suffolk may have an extra game against Dorset in 2025: the West Country side play Devon in the new Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, for the chance to host Suffolk in the second round.

And after a suitably long journey, we get to Cornwall. 2024 was not a classic year for them, either – finishing last in their T20 group. They at least avenged their T20 defeat to Dorset, winning the return 50-over fixture two weeks later – ultimately coming seventh out of ten in that format.

One bright spark was the emergence of Bex Odgers. While she didn’t score an abundance of runs for her county, a stunning 191 off just 103 balls opening the batting for Exeter University showcased her talents. The keeper-batter, who was part of an England Academy side with Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp in 2019, was snapped up by Somerset on a rookie deal for 2025.

 

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