Article contributed by Nicky Tranter.
I started teaching Physical Education in Bath September 1966, and offered cricket as an optional extra sport.
Somerset had a Ladies County Team at that time, and I went to the County Trials in 1967 taking 3 girls from the school with me. However there were very few matches and the last straw was one weekend when I travelled to Weston-super-Mare from Bath – by public transport – only to find the ground deserted: no-one told me the match had been cancelled! The County Team folded in 1968 and I decided that if I wanted to play the only way forward was to form my own team.
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I contacted one or two people whose names I had been given; I was already taking the school girls to Peter Wight’s Indoor Cricket School in Bath. Our first season was in 1969 and we played in and around the Bath area, against men’s and ladies teams using a number of different grounds – hence the name Somerset Wanderers.
Ed note: Also see follow on article about Bath Wanderers Cricket Club
1981 – Taken at North Parade Cricket Ground Bath. Somerset Wanderers and Dutch touring XI
1985 – National Knockout Cup Winners Team: from left to right Julia Goodwin; Clare Jones; Gill Sage; Mal Deeman; Margaret Frost; Maureen Davies; Nicky Tranter; Carole Brown-Kenyon; Kathy Hayward; Judy Fardell; Judy Wilmot.
We went to the Indoor Nets once a week from January to the start of the season. As we improved as a team we needed to travel further afield for matches against other women’s teams. We would regularly travel as far as the Midlands, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, travelling arrangements being made by one of the husbands. Matches in the Gloucester, Malvern and Oxford areas were virtually ‘home fixtures’ for us!
The Women’s Cricket Association started a National 40 over Knockout Competition. The early rounds were in reasonably local areas. But in the later rounds we could be playing anywhere in the country – even as far as Yorkshire! We reached the Final in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983 and finally won it in 1985!
1987 May – Tour of North Riding, Yorkshire.
Left to right back row: Judy Fardell; Jackie (N.Riding Captain) Judy Wilmot; Jane Bowker-Praed, Pauline Black; Linda Culling
Front row: Helen Alway; Julia Goodwin; Mal Deeman; Nicky Tranter; Sarah Trow.
Many of our players played for the West of England. Jane Bowker-Praed was in the England team for the very first World Cup in 1973. Jan Godman also played for England and Margaret Frost was chosen for the training squad to tour Australia in 1988 but did not reach the final selection. In some ways she was relieved as she was then free to come on the tour with us to New Zealand instead! (See later).
In 1981 we started winter coaching for school girls and they had their first season as our junior team that year, playing against boys and girls teams. Claire Jones, Kathryn Wilkins, Katherine Winks and Hannah Lloyd all started in our junior team, then progressed to the senior team and all also went on to play for the England Under-21 Team. Alex Russell played for England Under-17s.
We were very grateful for the grants received from the Lords Taverners for equipment and coaching. However when it came to fund raising – especially when we decided to spread our wings and plan overseas tours – a great deal of ingenuity was needed and involved some interesting ideas such as pushing a bed from Bristol to Bath, running a weekly car wash at Bath Cricket Club, Jumble Sales and making industrial quantities of marmalade to sell – which was very successful!
1987 September: Fund raising for New Zealand Tour and CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Children). Bed Push from Bristol to Bath
Somerset Wanderers had their first overseas tour to Holland in 1983, then Ireland in 1985, New Zealand in 1988/9.
Top: Margaret Frost; Back row: Lynn Hamblin; Ann Coward*; Claire Jones; Helen Alway; Chris Bradley; Jane Bowker-Praed; Nicky Tranter; Pauline Black; Linda Hole; Margaret Roberts; Julia Goodwin; Laurie Jones*; Stella Voaden. * = Invitation player.
Holland again in 1991 and Australia in 1993. We were also hosts to visiting International Teams playing in Bath. The first was Australia Ladies in 1973 during the Monarchy 1000 Celebrations, Australia again in 1976, Holland in 1981 and New Zealand in 1984
1991. Leicester. National Under-19 Indoor 6-a-side team. 3rd place. Left to right back row: Emma Tranter; Claire Jones; Debbie Thurman; Front row: Sarah Quartley; Katherine Winks; Kathryn Wilkins.
Nicola Tranter (Secretary SWLCC 1969-1998).
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