After another memorable summer in Rapids colours, Flora Bertwistle reflected on her time as a Worcestershire player, with 2025 seeing the bowler bring up fifty appearances for her side.
Having joined the club from Sussex in 2019, Bertwistle’s stocks have risen year on year, growing into one of the most prolific bowlers in the Rapids’ armoury across both white-ball formats.
2025 saw the spinner enjoy her most fruitful year to date, taking 27 wickets across 15 competitive appearances in both the Metro Bank One Day Cup and the Vitality T20 Blast, with Bertwistle attributing her success to a winter of hard-work and detailed analysis.
“I worked hard in the winter to improve my control and variations which has set me up well for the season.
“With the opportunity to watch players this season I tried to make plans to each batter on how I was to get them out.
“As a bowling unit we also talked about percentage of balls that were hitting the stumps and how we wanted that to be as high as possible.”
Bertwistle’s potent white-ball form saw her average a staggering nine with the ball in the Vitality T20 Blast, taking best figures of 3-11 from a canny four-over spell against Northants Steelbacks at Visit Worcestershire New Road in July.
The haul of wickets saw the bowler take her Worcestershire total to 81, as she edged up towards the century landmark.
With the step up to Tier 2 providing the Women’s Rapids with a more rigorous challenge this summer, the spinner says she has embraced the step-up, with her side falling just short of qualification in both formats.
“I have really enjoyed tier 2. The standard is much improved which means as an individual and a team you have to perform your best to get results – that’s been the biggest change.
“But I have loved it.”
Ed Wilson had his work cut-out across the summer, with disruption and enforced squad changes a common obstacle for the man at the helm.
Phoebe Brett and Ruby Davis both spent spells away from the club on respective Tier 1 loan-deals, Hannah Hardwick was recalled by her parent club – whilst others left New Road midway through the campaign.
Consequently, it was youngsters Caitlin Baker-Smith and Bryony Gillgrass who showed their potential, as senior figures Clare Boycott and Bertwistle herself, who stood up to drive the side forwards.
Bertwistle, says the group dynamic and environment around the squad is what makes it such an enjoyable and motivating team to be a part of.
“I love playing for Worcestershire and I see it as a great privilege.
“It’s a great group of girls who I love to share the changing room with. It’s a mix of ages and experience which means everyone can learn from each other.
“The environment created by Boycs [Clare Boycott] and the coach allows players to be themselves and always feel comfortable, which is what’s key for me.”
In spite of one of her most successful seasons to date coming to an end, Bertwistle won’t be resting on any laurels ahead of the 2026 campaign.
After taking a short break after undergoing surgery, the Rapid’s star bowler made it clear that her ambition to achieve team success and personal progression are very much at the forefront of her thoughts heading into the Rapids’ second year in Tier 2.
“As a team we want to get the consistency in performances that this level requires. This will then allow us to be he challenging in all competitions.
“For me, I’m off to have surgery in a couple of weeks so, short term, I will be hitting the rehab hard so that I can go again next season where I want to keep taking wickets for Worcestershire and compete for trophies.”
