Nottinghamshire’s Women will return to top-tier cricket in 2017 following promotion to Division One in the Royal London Women’s One-Day Cup.
Notts needed to beat Worcestershire in their final game of the season to secure promotion.
Playing away from home, 17-year old Georgie Boyce struck an imperious 81 before Becky Widdowson's five for 35 with the ball helped steer Notts to a convincing seven-wicket victory – ensuring the visitors finished second overall in Divison Two, behind Lancashire.
“At the start of the year we set out goals to achieve – to make it a memorable year and really give it everything we could,” said Head Coach Martyn Kiel. “We wanted people to go out there, make contributions and enjoy their time out on the field.
“Everyone has contributed and it’s been pleasing to see how the younger players have integrated into the squad from the start of the year and throughout.
“Promotion isn’t won or lost in one game, all the events and results throughout the year contribute.”
Notts opened their campaign against local rivals Leicestershire with a seven-wicket victory, before rain put paid to their next fixture against Lancashire.
Notts then welcomed Wales to Welbeck, where captain Sonia Odedra took 2-27 with the ball and struck an unbeaten 57 with the bat to secure a five-wicket victory over the visitors.
Next up, a double-header, first against Hampshire, where Notts suffered their solitary loss in the competition by four wickets, despite a top-score 73 from wicket-keeper Jane Smit.
They quickly got back to winning ways though, cruising to a seven-wicket triumph over Essex.
Notts and England all-rounder Odedra continued her form against Devon, the right-hander scoring the first century of the season for the women in green and gold – on her way to becoming her side's overall leading run-scorer (252) and wicket-taker (10) in the tournament.
“Sonia’s a key player in the team,” said Kiel.
“In her second year as captain in the 50-over format she has grown into her role.
“She leads from the front – opening the batting and the bowling. She has scored well over 200 runs including a fantastic 112 against Devon, to put us in a winning position.”
Nottinghamshire completed six of their seven games before a two-month interval, which included the inaugural women’s Kia Super League. The 20-over competition featured six teams, comprising of a mix of county players, England internationals and three overseas players per side.
Odedra, Boyce and Amy Gauvrit were selected for the Loughborough Lightning squad that reached the semi-finals.
“The Kia Super League has been a pioneering competition in women’s cricket,” expressed Kiel. “It’s given three of our players exposure to that level of cricket that they may not otherwise might have had."
Kiel, a former Workforce Development Officer at Nottinghamshire Cricket Board, completed his first full season in charge of the women’s team, alongside his role as development manager at the ECB.
“The team are the ones that have done all the hard work, scored the runs and taken the wickets,” he said.
“Amanda Bacon (coach) and I support them and help them believe in themselves but ultimately they are the ones that have to do it on the pitch.
“To see the players’ reaction to winning against Worcestershire – you could see it meant a lot to them.
“Women’s cricket is in a good place at the moment and our girls are looking forward to returning next year and facing the challenges that lie ahead.”
Trent Bridge will host an Investec Test Match between England and South Africa, and a Royal London One-Day International visit from the West Indies, in 2017.
Sign up here to be the first to hear about fixture and ticketing information for these two matches.