South East Stars held a capping ceremony to honour the hard work of their players at the Summer Induction Evening last month.
Marking the achievement of making a senior debut, the regional side rewarded players who featured in the Stars’ senior team last season, by presenting them with a baggy cap.
Bryony Smith – the Stars’ skipper who led the team to the semi-finals of the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in 2022, topping the wickets column in the former and the runs chart in the latter – was one of the players acknowledged for her contributions.
Experienced campaigners such as the pacer Freya Davies, leg-spinner Danielle Gregory, all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards and wicket-keeper-batter Kira Chathli were also among the capped players.
Phoebe Franklin, Kalea Moore, Alexa Stonehouse, Emma Jones and Ryana Macdonald-Gay, all of whom were awarded their first professional contract towards the end of the last year, were also recognised.
18-year-old left-armer Stonehouse was a crucial player for England U-19s in the inaugural U-19 T20 World Cup in South Africa, playing a decisive innings of 25 in the thrilling semi-final victory over Australia.
20-year-old middle-order batter and off-spinner, Moore made a mark in the 2022 Charlotte Edwards Cup, averaging over 40 with the bat and taking the second-most wickets (8) at a striking economy rate of 4.85 across seven matches.
All-rounder Macdonald-Gay impressed in the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy last season, scoring 112 runs while getting dismissed merely once as well as grabbing four wickets in four matches.
In the same competition, the 25-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder Franklin finished as the Stars’ second-highest wicket-taker with eight scalps at an average of 21.25.
Emma Calvert, the Director of Women’s Cricket for the South East Region, said: “The cap represents the sheer determination, commitment and long hours that a player puts in the training ground before making their senior debut.
“We are pleased to acknowledge and honour the hard work of the players who have made this step up to the top tier of domestic cricket.
“We hope the caps help to provide inspiration to the girls in our pathway to get their own baggy blue in the near future.”
Full list of capped players:
Megan Belt
Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones
Maxine Blythin
Chloe Brewer
Alice Capsey
Kira Chathli
Aylish Cranstone
Alice Davidson-Richards
Freya Davies
Sophia Dunkley
Tash Farrant
Phoebe Franklin
Grace Gibbs
Amy Gordon
Eva Gray
Danielle Gregory
Emma Jones
Hannah Jones
Ryana Macdonald-Gay
Bethan Miles
Kalea Moore
Susannah Rowe
Bryony Smith
Lauren Smith
Rhianna Southby
Jemima Spence
Alexa Stonehouse
Kirstie White
