CRICKET
Barnard Castle Cricket Club are launching a women’s cricket team as well as an U15s girls’ team for the start of the 2024 season.
The plan is being promoted by director of cricket Ben Usher, and Mark Robson who will be helping with coaching and organising both teams.
Last year the club had a girls U17 team.
“We believe there are a lot of girls who are now able and interested in playing at a competitive level. Undoubtedly initiatives like The Hundred have brought women’s cricket to the forefront and that has encouraged this,” Mr Robson said.
“We were one of only five teams in the U17s league last year, but it was great experience. This year we have a lot of younger girls coming through so U15s seems the right option.
“As well as that we will have a women’s hardball team. Sedgefield is currently the closest team in location to us, so we have a large catchment area that we can get players from.”
The hunt for players has now begun with training expected to begin indoors in February.
Mr Robson added: “The ladies will play on a Friday night and that will be at Barnard Castle School. We are extremely grateful to the school for agreeing to let us use their facilities.
“The U15s will be based primarily at the club as well as all practice sessions for both sides being held there.”
Mr Usher said: “Mark will be managing and coaching the side, but we will also be bringing in a coach to help and guide the talent in the summer.
“The club is really investing in this, and we are expecting it to thrive.”
If you are interested in joining the U15s or the women’s side, contact Wendy Rutherford on 07812 178710. Training starts at Barnard Castle School on February 11.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
