The loyal supporters of Ramsbottom were present in large numbers on a cold Saturday in late April to celebrate a historic event at Acre Bottom. Following their women’s first XI's undefeated run throughout 2023, which included back-to-back league victories and a T20 trophy, the club made the unprecedented decision to enter them into the Lancashire League, competing in the third XI section against teams predominantly composed of men, with only a few exceptions.

"It's the right move for this team at this time," stated Iain Collier, Ramsbottom's head coach for women and girls, in an interview with WCM back in January. "We will continue to participate in women's competitions, but this is a superb chance to do both." Their initial challenge was a home match against Accrington, a founding member of the Lancashire League since 1892. After winning the toss, Maeve Jones, Ramsbottom's dynamic 18-year-old captain, chose to field first.

"The atmosphere was fantastic," Jones reminisces. "All the players' families were there to watch, including those who were injured or not selected. It was a great support system for everyone." Accrington made a solid start, reaching 108 for two, but faltered against Ramsbottom's spinners, with Shriya Pindoria, a 19-year-old leg-spinner, taking five wickets to halt Accrington's momentum.

"It was fascinating to see that when Shriya came on, they didn't know how to handle her," Jones says, who also took two wickets with her off-breaks. "They weren't sure how to play her, and I just told Shriya to keep going." Set a target of 158 in 40 overs, Jones led her team halfway there with a gritty 37, before Grace Johnson's quickfire 47 saw Ramsbottom home with 16 deliveries to spare. "To chase down over 150 and see that composure and maturity was just fantastic," says Collier.

Despite fielding a team almost entirely made up of juniors – Collier reports that 22 out of the 23 players who represented the women's first XI in the Lancashire League this summer were 19 or under, with 11 being 15 or under – Ramsbottom managed to win four out of their 14 completed matches, finishing a respectable seventh out of 11.

"During the season, many players had A-levels, work, and other cricket commitments, which led to a lot of young players stepping in," says Jones. "Many had never played men's cricket before, which was a great opportunity for them. We had our setbacks, but we took them in stride. Those four wins will be remembered when we look back on our first season in the Lancs League."

Jones believes that playing in a male-dominated environment rapidly accelerated her team's development. "When it's women playing, you can relax. You know who you're up against, many of whom are friends. But entering the men's league meant playing against people I'd never faced before. Some were quite vocal, so you always had to stay focused. How can I silence them and show we're on par with them?

"I think we surprised many teams. Every match had a different atmosphere, so the girls were constantly learning how to handle it, and they did that really well. When we played Accrington in the first game and won, they surprised me with how gracious they were. Regardless of the result, the opposition was always supportive, and we carried that encouragement into each game."

Having faced fast bowlers and led her team against experienced club players, Jones says her team has learned a lot, looking forward to a second season at this level in 2025. "As an opening batter facing men's opening bowlers, some were quick and had pace. But when it came to playing spinners, I reminded myself that I've played against Shriya and other female spinners who I found better.

"When batting, we're taught to play differently. Many of our girls prefer to play straight and stay in, but when we bowled at the men, there were big swings. I realized I needed to set my fields differently and send out a cow corner immediately. They're more aggressive when striking the ball, and I think we can learn from that. It was a good balance and a good challenge throughout."

"We focused on our strengths," adds Collier, "which were good spin bowlers, playing straight, and batting through the innings. It's been a major part of our development." Jones topped 1,000 runs across all cricket for the summer, one of four women's first XI players to do so, and also claimed 46 wickets. She was one of seven Ramsbottom players to represent the Lancashire Under-18 side, which won both the national T20 and 50-over competitions this summer, and also played for Lancashire Thunder's second team, while Grace Johnson, 19, appeared for the senior Thunder side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

Meanwhile, Ramsbottom continued to dominate the women's club scene, winning the senior women's league for a third consecutive year, while their under-18s and under-15s won their respective leagues. The under-15s, featuring eight players who had represented the first XI in the Lancashire League this season, also reached the National T20 Knockout final at Lord's, where they lost to Apperley.

Having taken the leap, Collier believes the decision to enter the women's first XI in the Lancashire League has been fully justified. "We're seeing the proof in the pudding," he says. "Our main objective was the development of the girls and to give them new challenges, so it was definitely the right thing for this group."

While Ramsbottom emphasizes that they see the future of women's cricket as all-female sides competing against each other rather than against men, Collier hopes the performances of his players will encourage other clubs to provide more opportunities for women in traditionally male club cricket, thereby accelerating their development. "I hope that's a knock-on effect for the wider women's game," he says.

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