The records will show that the Dorset County team had one of its most successful seasons since 2005.  The women came second in the South West Division 5 of the County Championships, behind favourites Gloucestershire.  Not only was this a remarkable achievement, but also it is worth noting that in the match against Gloucestershire Dorset came close to beating them despite being 2 players short.  The middle section of the County Championships was badly affected by rain, with 3 of the Dorset matches being cancelled or abandoned.   

The standard of the women’s game has improved over the years and all the matches were hard fought with narrow victories or defeats.  The highlights of the season were.

Oxfordshire at Sherborne. (Won by 12 runs – 164/6 to 152ao)  The season got under way on a warm Sunday in April.  Winning the toss, Laura Thomas confidently decided to bat, and although runs were never easy, Katie Haddon (55 no) carried on where she had left off last year.  Sarah John (22) and Lucy Edworthy (20) and the rest of the team helped the score along.  The team felt confident that they could bowl out or contain the Oxon but it was closer than expected.  The pick of the bowlers was Emily Broad’s 6 for 33, the best county figures for Dorset for any year.   Katie picked up 2 stumpings while Lucy and Jen Burry each got a run-out.

Cornwall at Beaminster. (Won by 3 wickets - 72ao to 73/7)  This was one of the few matches to be played in Dorset due to the weather.  A low scoring game on a damp pitch made run scoring hard work.  Winning the toss we decided to field, the game became one of attrition with all the bowlers in with a chance of wickets.  Anna John picked up 3 wickets with Laura and Lucy picked up 2 each.  Laura finished with figures of 7 overs 2 wickets for 4 runs.  When it came to batting we also struggled, a new opening partnership of Debbie Budd and Elle Pearce (an U13 playing in her first senior match) got us under way.  In the end, though, most of the team contributed with Debbie, Katie, Laura, Lucy and Su Wallis all getting into double figures.

Wiltshire at Weymouth (Won by 3 runs – 92ao to 89ao) – A strange game in which having been put in, we expected to score over 150!  Despite batting for 45 overs, we just couldn’t get the scoring rate up.  Laura (16) and Danni Rigby (17) put on 35 for the first wicket and Danni and Katie (14) moved the score along to 53 for the second wicket, but apart from Cat Bryan (10) runs were scarce.  It was with some trepidation that we took to the field knowing we would have to bowl and field at the top of our game.  In the event, it was Lauren Willows who stole the show with 6 for 17, taking the Dorset record.  Anna took 2 wickets and Su and Hannah Winton 1 each.  Laura took 3 catches including 2 very difficult ones at short cover.

The County Team v Wiltshire (July 2011)
5 players received their County Caps

Gloucestershire away (Lost by 4 wickets – 143/7 to 144/6) – A remarkable team effort as last minute injuries meant we only had 9 players.  Winning the toss we batted first with Laura (21) and Su (23) opening with a partnership of 63 before both were out.  Partnerships were also built between Katie (27) and, first Lauren (10) then Emily Broad (15), followed by a smaller one with Meg Hattemore.  Meg had a couple of smaller partnerships with first Hannah and then Anna.  Leaving Elle Thomas to successful see off the last ball.  We knew fielding against the strongest batting side in the division would be difficult.  We bowled and fielded well but we had too many gaps in the field, Lauren took 3 wickets.

Cornwall away (Drawn Cornwall 97ao Dorset 10 for 1).  Rain washed out this game which we felt we would have won.   Winning the toss we asked Cornwall to bat.  We were immediatley rewarded when after the first scoring stroke Meg Barraclough took an awkward catch and the scene was set.  Cornwall were never allowed to settle and only 4 Dorset bowlers were used with Laura, Lauren and Anna taking 3 wickets each.

Oxfordshire at Abingdon (Lost by 10 runs – 187/6 to 177/7).  An end of season match that we should have won.  Oxon won the toss and decided to bat, the highlight of their innings was M Burton’s 105no.  Our bowling was tidy enough with all the bowlers having some success but we dropped too many catches including M Burton before she scored.  There were some good catches the best being Els Smith's running catch in the deep.  Our batting also lacked the urgency, with 10 overs to go we still needed 60 runs.  Despite some swashbuckling batting by Jemma Sullivan, Jess Alfert and Hannah we ended 10 runs short.  Katie Haddon scored 78 no - her highest county score, Su (22) and Hannah (11).

The matches against Gloucs at home and Wiltshire away were called off because of the weather.

County caps were awarded this season to Rachel Gunn, Danni Rigby, Jemma Sullivan, Lauren Willows and Hannah Winton