Namita Patel, Karen Coleman and Betty Evans were all recognised for their outstanding contribution to the sport at a glittering听awards ceremony听in Leicester.听
At the inaugural Impact of Cricket Awards 2025,听Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Foundation managing director Namita Patel听was听presented with听the prestigious听Leading Change听award for her transformational work听to create a fully independent charity focused on inclusion and purpose.听
鈥淚鈥檝e really enjoyed the challenge,鈥� says Namita. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a steep learning curve at times, and this award recognised the journey I鈥檝e been on.鈥�听
Namita entered her role without a background in cricket. Since then,听she鈥檚听successfully set up the foundation,听established听governance structures, managed staff dynamics, and rebuilt team motivation.听
鈥淲hen I started, we had seven people. Now听we鈥檙e听at 15 and听we鈥檙e听still growing听and being bold in our ambitions. But I was genuinely surprised when I won听鈥� and听there鈥檚听still a huge amount more to do. We now have a four-year strategy, which we launched in October 2025, and my听priority is to deliver on this.鈥�听
She adds: 鈥淎lthough the award recognises my leadership, I genuinely believe none of it would be possible without the team.听We鈥檝e听worked hard to build trust and听momentum together. Now the exciting question is: what next?听Where else can we make a difference?鈥�听
At the Cricket Collective Awards 2025,听Staffordshire-based Karen Coleman collected the听Metro Bank Champion of Girls鈥� Cricket听award听for her dedicated efforts at Endon Cricket Club.听
鈥淚 got involved the way most women start: on a Friday night watching your kids play junior cricket. Then you start doing a bit of scoring, and I joined the committee听maybe four听years ago. Having women on the management committee has really driven our growth in women鈥檚 and girls鈥� cricket.听We鈥檝e听helped the committee to think differently about things, and听they鈥檝e听been听really willing听to accept our ideas.鈥�听
In just three years, the club has developed three girls鈥� teams and听gone from one to听three women鈥檚 teams.听鈥淭here鈥檚 so much community spirit,鈥澨齭ays Karen. 鈥淚f you can get the mums and girls involved, cricket becomes a family-orientated activity.鈥�听
She adds:听鈥淢y dad used to play cricket. I lost him about 10 years ago, before I started playing cricket myself. He gave up cricket when he had two young girls, because clubs听weren鈥檛听really family clubs at that time, and the time commitment was too much.听I鈥檇听love to think that if things had been the way they are now, where听we鈥檝e听got mums and dads and kids all playing, he might have stayed involved.鈥�听
For now, though, Karen鈥檚 focus is on continuing to increase the cricketing opportunities available to women and girls in her local area.听
She says:听鈥淚t鈥檚听so important in terms of resilience, exercise, and the connection that comes from playing a team sport. When you see the statistic that 94% of female leaders played sport听in their youth,听that鈥檚听huge.鈥�听
The听sterling efforts of fourteen-year-old Betty Evans were听also听recognised with her听Rising Star听award.听
Dorset-based听Betty is heavily involved at听Puddletown听CC, where she plays, umpires, and volunteers 鈥� all with the aim of inspiring other girls to take up the sport. She is also an ambassador for female cricket clothing company Maiden Cricket.听
Her cricket journey began when she was just six years old. 鈥淚 enjoyed it because it鈥檚 fun, on a Friday night after school, to be playing with all your friends,鈥� she says. Within a couple of years, she was playing hardball cricket and progressed to county cricket when she was still only in Year 5 at school.听
Today, she regularly umpires or scores for the club鈥檚 women鈥檚 softball team or junior teams, as well as getting involved in fundraising initiatives.听
鈥淐ricket is like a big family,鈥� says Betty. 鈥淵ou get lots of friends and听it鈥檚听just one big community.听It鈥檚听also important because it gives you team and leadership skills.鈥�听
She adds: 鈥淲hen听you鈥檙e听a teenager,听it鈥檚听easy to want to quit stuff or get bored, but听you鈥檝e听got to keep pushing otherwise听you鈥檒l听regret it.听So听you learn resilience as well.鈥�听
Last year, Betty was named a Sports Leader at her school, helping to generate enthusiasm for sport among children who might not have shown any听previous听interest. She has also completed her Young Officials听course, and听played her first Saturday match with the club鈥檚 men鈥檚 side.听
鈥淚 just want to keep improving and get better,鈥� she says.听
Find out more about all the winners and nominees from the Cricket Collective and Impact of Cricket awards听here.听听
If you are looking to grow women鈥檚 and girls鈥� participation at your club, This Is Cricket听is听a new resource hub for the recreational game听with听practical guidance on a range of topics. Explore听.听
For more information about our Metro Bank听Champion of Women鈥檚 and Girls鈥� partnership, head听.听听