Founded in 2019, the Queensbury-based side has taken the West Yorkshire Women and Women's Cricket League since its first season in 2022.
In three years of competitive cricket, Avenue won the Steve Archer Cup (2022), winning the Back-to-Back Division 1 Championship in 2023 and 2024, unbeaten in last year's title victory campaign.
However, the club's success was not overnight, and the first years of existence served as a component of future success.
Avenue made a skillful use of this development period. In the near future, they made a push to attract aspiring female cricketers to a club that can provide competitive cricket.
Club chair and player Kirsty Gavillet admitted that months have been challenging despite the seamless rise to Avenue's success.
She said:
“In the Bradford area, there is clearly a need for girls grassroots cricket and we asked how to play competitively when we were coaching, and at the time we didn't know how they played or train often.
“From there we decided to set up some sessions. If we noticed there were a lot of women in the Bradford area who wanted to play competitively, we had a plan to set up this club.”
Gavillet added: “It wasn't easy because you have to find funds, insurance and committees. Building a website, buying kits, finding coaches, building a social media presence to attract players.
“It's so difficult and time-consuming, so you need to spend the time each week building a great pool of volunteers who are happy.
The hard work at Avenue Ladies certainly pays off, with the club closing the stunning 2024 season with a trophy presentation in February, celebrating the West Yorkshire Women's and Women's Cricket League titles.
Looking back at another glorious season when Avenue was undefeated, Gabilett said:
“They show a lot of dedication to show up, they play and train each week, so they deserve everything that comes their way.
“If I was cruelly honest, I didn’t expect the group to win every game, but I managed to accomplish something that was an achievement in itself.
“Since formed in 2022, the league has been attracting better players, so it's becoming increasingly challenging. So winning a back-to-back title is amazing, while still undefeated, and I'm proud of everyone involved with the club.”
Giving her thoughts on what distinguishes the champion from other regions in the other divisions, Gabilett said: “The women pool we have, we are a very close team.
“I don't go out there and I say we are much best teams in the department in terms of quality, but we are certainly the best teams in terms of comrades.
“We don't just play together, we are all friends and spend a lot of time together outside the cricket field.
“Our close nature means that when we play together we never drop our heads, so when we play together we think we continue to support each other throughout the game.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Bradford Park Avenue Ladies Cricket Club Story.
Also, please click this link for information about the club and contact information.
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