Lancashire Cricket Board: Nalisha Patel Selected for England Women’s Development Programme

Nalisha Patel Selected for England Women’s Development Programme
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Dipesh Asher on 28/11/2012 09:40:00

Horwich RMI's Nalisha Patel has capped an excellent season by being named in the
England Women's Development Squad at Under 19 level.

The 14-year-old off-spinner is one of the youngest cricketers in the group but
the national selectors have been impressed by her regular wicket-taking and her
prodigious ability to turn the ball.
Yet Patel is no one-season wonder. She first became part of the county set up in
2009 and went straight into U13s team even though she was only 10 at the time.
She took 16 wickets in her debut season and over the last four years she has
taken 76 wickets at an average of 7.13. Patel also plays for Horwich's junior
teams and Bolton Ladies.
"Nalisha is a regular wicket taker and her batting has also gained her a place
in the top four in the order in the Under 15 and Under 17 county squads," said
Jenny Laycock, the Lancashire Cricket Board's Women’s & Girls Cricket
Development Officer and the captain of the Lancashire women’s team.
"She is able to turn the ball a long way and has often been surprised how much
she can turn it. She has worked hard over the last year on her quicker ball
which is now an effective part of her armoury.
"Nalisha is also an accomplished batter who struggled in 2012 to be as positive
as she would have liked to have been with her shots, but her skill base is high
and she has offered evidence of her talent in recent seasons with big scores."
Patel is one of three Lancashire girls to be selected for the England Under 19
development squad. Three others have been chosen in the Under 15 age group,
confirming the high standing of Lancashire girls' cricket on the national stage.
“It's a fantastic achievement for all these girls to be recognised at these
levels," said Laycock. "It’s the result of hard work during the winter and
then putting it into practice during games."
Written by: Paul Edwards
5 other girls have been selected on the England Women's Development Programme,
find out more at: Lancashire Girls Reach The Next Level.