Worcestershire Rapids Women captain Chloe Hill hailed her side’s dominant 114-run win over Yorkshire as a proud moment for a team still finding its feet in a new era.
Speaking after the match at Headingley, Hill praised the unity and belief shown by her players, who produced a composed and commanding performance from start to finish in what was only their second competitive outing together.
“Really proud,” Hill said. “You don’t expect to come to Headingley, especially as a team that’s only been together a few months and put on such a strong performance against a side that’s trained all winter. It speaks volumes about the character in the group.”
The Rapids’ display with both bat and ball never let Yorkshire settle. Solid partnerships, starting with the composed opening stand between Gwen Davies and Claire Boycott, set the tone. Hill highlighted the key contributions throughout the innings, with Briony Gillgrass and Ruby Davis taking control in the middle overs and Sophie Beech adding a vital late flourish.
“It was all about building partnerships,” Hill explained. “Gwen and Claire gave us a platform, and everyone who came in just built on that. Briony and Ruby’s stand was really important, and then Sophie at the end gave us the freedom to push on.”
Going into the match, Hill said the focus was on staying positive and embracing the occasion. With the team playing in a newly-formed competition and facing uncertainty over the standard, the message was clear: enjoy the game, play with intent, and back yourselves.
“We just said, go out there, play with a smile, enjoy it,” she said. “It’s a new Worcestershire era, we didn’t really know what to expect, but we knew if we backed our plans and played with intent, we could be competitive. To come out with a win like that is just fantastic.”
It was a statement victory, not just in the result, but in the manner of it. As Hill and her team look ahead, it’s clear the Rapids are setting high standards early in their journey.
“This is just the start,” she smiled. “But it’s a pretty special one.”
