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Raf Nicholson

@rafnicholson.bsky.social
3.3K followers 1.1K following 1.4K posts

Women’s cricket historian & journalist. Sports Journalism lecturer at Bournemouth University & writer for Guardian Sport. Vice Chair of The Cricket Society.

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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Shame on you Ollie Pope, Luke Wood, Moeen Ali, Reece Topley, James Vince, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Laurie Evans for caring more about the money in your own pockets than the human rights of women and girls. This was a personal choice by you, and you chose wrong.
bbc.co.uk
England players told to think of 'daughters, sisters or mothers' before committing to Afghanistan Premier League T20 tournament
English cricketers aiming to play in a men's T20 franchise tournament organised by the Afghanistan Cricket Board have been urged to think about their "daughters, sisters or mothers".
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Women are kinder and more diligent. Who could have predicted this? 🤔
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Yesterday honestly feels like a massive missed opportunity by Middlesex to cross-promote their men's & women's teams. Example: this was posted about 2 hours after Saskia Horley's century. I guess we can argue about the definition of "List A" cricket but still a bit galling?
Screenshot of a Middlesex_CCC tweet with a photo of Ryan Higgins. The tweet says: "His first white ball hundred. A first Middlesex hundred in a list A final. Superb, Higgo."
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Based on this chart... somebody needs to produce a pink-and-yellow kit next season please 🙏
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Which sports organisation would want to erase a team who have just swept the board in terms of trophies? And yet this, it seems, is the world we currently live in. Some thoughts from me following yesterday's One Day Cup final:
crickether.com
OPINION: The Blaze Is Dead. Long Live The Blaze
There was a certain irony in the result of Saturday’s One-Day Cup final. After beating Hampshire by 3 wickets, The Blaze now have their name carved on all three of the English domestic trophies &#8…
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
This has made me a bit sad. The Southern Vipers mural at the Utilita Bowl has been replaced by a Hundred mural.
Southern Vipers mural at the back of the Hampshire pavilion. Lottie is lifting the KSL trophy and other Vipers players are also visible. It's very orange.Hundred mural at the back of the Hampshire pavilion. It says "2021 winners". Both men and women's teams are visible on the mural.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I think that decision was a bit harsh on Ella Mac? Sadly not on telly, so 🤷🏼‍♀️
Ballinger bowls to Ella Mac, the ball has struck her on the pad but looks like it would be missing the stumps.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
We've just had a rendition of God Save The King here in Southampton. My suggestion that they should also sing Flower Of Scotland for The Blaze was ignored 😂
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Gearing up for our last (live) cricket of the season - Hampshire v Blaze in the One-Day Cup final. Should be a cracker!
Utilita Bowl.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Please do come along to this webinar - we'd love to share our research into Scottish women's cricket with you. Registration link in the post below.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Seeking help from the hive mind 🐝 Doing some end-of-season awards for WCM mag. What's been your performance of the season with the bat, and ditto with the ball? (This is for domestic women's cricket only - internationals excluded!)
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Don’t really agree with this. Nobody should be so much of a “dead cert” for England that they don’t feel the need to show up for their county in a crunch match. In fact one could argue that nobody (aside maybe from NSB as captain) should feel they are a “dead cert” anyway.
Speaking on Wisden Women's Cricket Weekly podcast, Winfield-Hill said: "I think if you're dead cert to be in [England] teams then fairplay - refresh, replenish, take your breaks. If you're somebody fighting for your spot, I'd be saying I want to play and I want to play in crunch times of the season. Every game counts when you've got finals rounds. You'd be wanting to knock the door down in high pressure games.”
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Delighted to be on the longlist for the Cricket Media Club’s Derek Hodgson Book Award, in very esteemed company! cricketmediaclub.com/longlist-ann...
cricketmediaclub.com
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The word “accountable” is perhaps the most interesting one in the ECB’s press release about Leah Poulton replacing Clare Connor. Accountability feels like something which has been lacking of late in England women’s cricket.
In her new role, she will be accountable for the performances of England Women, England Women A, England Women U19s, and the overall effectiveness and reputation of the women's high-performance system.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The final match of the international summer (and what a summer it’s been!) My take:
theguardian.com
Sophia Dunkley’s 119 guides England to 3-0 win over Ireland despite batting collapse
A fine hundred from Sophia Dunkley ensured England sealed a series clean sweep in their third ODI against Ireland at Worcester on Sunday, but not before a disappointing batting collapse
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
I don't think Ireland will chase that, but it should be a real concern for England (and for Charlotte Edwards) that after looking on course for a record total, they then subsided to 291 all out. #ENGvIRE
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Slightly odd pre-match interview from TCC there - asked "what's next?" she said, "might be going back to county cricket, not sure". But isn't county cricket really important for England selection?
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Dunno who is to blame, but pretty poor that Cricinfo are advertising an 11 o'clock start at Worcester when in fact it's starting at 10.30am.
Cricinfo banner - England Women v Ireland Women today at 11.00am.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I was honoured to be invited onto BBC Test Match Special last weekend to talk about my book, The Women in Whites: A History of Women's Cricket in England. The interview is still available for a few hours, so do have a listen here if you missed it (3.29 onwards): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Raf, Dan Norcross and Ali Mitchell in the TMS box at Lord's, with the pitch visible in the background. Raf is holding up her copy of The Women in Whites.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Issy Wong is great fun in press conferences. Look out for the football reference 😁
theguardian.com
Wong’s five wickets lead England to rampant victory over Ireland and ODI series win
Issy Wong’s career-best five for 33 set up England’s six-wicket win over Ireland that sealed the three-match ODI series with a game to spare
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Derbados living up to its billing ahead of ODI number 2. Sunhats on and jumpers off right now!
Derby wicket.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Here’s my take on today. Really did not think England were going to chase that total quite so easily!
theguardian.com
Maia Bouchier powers England to record ODI run chase against Ireland
Maia Bouchier hit 104 to power England to victory in the first ODI against Ireland, as they won by six wickets in Leicester
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Scenes from a surprisingly sunny Grace Road, ahead of the first England v Ireland ODI:
Blue sky and green grass at Grace Road.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
FYI, this offer ends tomorrow - so buy my book now if you want 15% off!
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CRICKETher @crickether.com · 30/08/2026
Here’s Raf’s interview with Katie George - lots to digest here, including how the team are trying to move past the Georgia Davis controversy:
crickether.com
INTERVIEW: Warwickshire’s Katie George On Being A “Calm Presence In Turmoil”
Taking on the captaincy of a club mid-season is always tricky. Doubly so when they’ve just fired their existing skipper. That’s the situation Warwickshire’s Katie George finds herself in, after she…
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Are you sick of the rain in Manchester and / or London? I’m due on BBC TMS at 1.30pm to talk about my book The Women in Whites: A History of Women’s Cricket in England 🏏 👩 🥳 Tune in!
Raf in the Lords media centre holding her book. This was taken on a sunny day several weeks ago!
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The Cricket Society @thecricketsociety.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The award has been announced at the BSSH Annual Conference and will be presented in person at a Cricket Society event on 2 September. Congratulations André!
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The Cricket Society @thecricketsociety.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The Cricket Society and the British Society of Sports History are proud and delighted to announce Professor André Odendaal as the winner of the 2026 Howard Milton Award for Cricket Scholarship.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
At this year’s @bssh.bsky.social conference in Edinburgh. Looking forward to a couple of days of thinking, talking and laughing - love this sports history community 😊 Highlights to follow below. #BSSH2026
Sign saying Welcome to the BSSH Annual Conference 2026.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A really interesting piece but a key word is missing: Masculinity.
theguardian.com
Brydon Carse incident points to a darker truth about life as a professional cricketer | The Secret Cricket Coach
Cricket is a brutal game – you are basically being judged all the time. It’s no wonder players seek out ways of coping
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Super Fours? Well this is a throwback!
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Not sure if there is a Bannerman “list” anywhere, but Amelia Kemp has just scored 72% of Northamptonshire’s runs against Essex in the County Cup quarter-final.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Have to say it seems quite poor that Tier 1 Warwickshire can’t even provide a live stream on their County Cup quarter final, whereas Tier 2 Northants have got a multi-camera live stream set-up with commentary. And Warwickshire are meant to be a rich county, according to recent reports 🤷🏼‍♀️
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
In 2017, Syd and I were among a tiny crowd at Banstead CC to watch Lancashire win the County T20 Cup. I was standing way back trying to take some photos. Kate Cross saw what I was doing, told me to come forward with a smile, & made sure I got 2 of the best pics 💛 Anyway… happy retirement Crossy!
Lancashire at Banstead CC in red kit.Lancs get sprayed with champagne.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
“Headingley has missed out on an Ashes Test in 2027” Ffs. It’s as if women don’t exist! www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
bbc.co.uk
Yorkshire CEO Sanjay Patel disappointed with ECB Test allocation
Sanjay Patel says Yorkshire are disappointed by their England Test allocation but have plans to improve Headingley to ensure they do not miss out in future.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
My book The Women in Whites: A History of Women's Cricket in England is currently 15% off as part of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Day Event 2026. If you've been wavering about whether to buy it or not... now is a good opportunity! www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Whites...
amazon.co.uk
The Women in Whites: A History of Women's Cricket in England : Nicholson, Raf: Amazon.co.uk: Books
The Women in Whites: A History of Women's Cricket in England : Nicholson, Raf: Amazon.co.uk: Books
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Apropos nothing... huge fan of Jemima Spence's bandanas.
Spence walks off at Guildford wearing a pink bandana.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Warwickshire have confirmed today that captain Georgia Davis is leaving the club at the end of the season. In other news... Davis is not in today's squad for their match v Yorkshire and no reason has been given 👀 👀
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
A one-sided final in the Women's Hundred was not what the doctor ordered... Me for @theguardian.com:
theguardian.com
Trent Rockets soar over Sunrisers Leeds to bring home maiden women’s Hundred title
Sophia Dunkley and Beth Mooney put on a 69-run partnership as Trent Rockets beat Sunrisers Leeds by eight wickets in the women’s Hundred final
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
This might be the most exciting thing to happen in this year’s Hundred, tbh.
Raf and one of the meerkat mascots, Sergei.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I’ll be at The Hundred final tomorrow so if anyone wants their copy of my book signed, or wants to buy a copy, please do message me 😊 It’s been great fun seeing it out in the wild this summer already - thanks for all the support 🙏 @jarrodkimber.bsky.social @mel-jones.bsky.social
Jarrod Kimber reading The Women in Whites in the commentary box at Lord’s.Mel Jones at The Oval with The Women in Whites.Raf and Claire Taylor with The Women in Whites.Raf and Beth Barrett-Wild at Headingley with The Women in Whites.
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I do wonder whether the ECB will continue to release attendance figures, given these trends. Previously they’ve always been able to boast about them; this year it’s going to be a case of defending them. (Richard Gould due to speak to media tomorrow AM.)
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
To celebrate the centenary of Women’s Cricket Week, I finally made it to the home of women’s cricket - Colwall:
theguardian.com
The Spin | Tradition of Women’s Cricket Week continues – and is still celebrated 100 years on
Every summer a group set up camp at Colwall, the real home of women’s cricket, and spend five days playing the sport they love
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Dinky shot from Davina Perrin, who went for the switch hit then realised the ball was too wide so played it one-handed instead. It's become a cliche to describe a ramp as "innovative" - but that actually WAS innovative.
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Beth Cooper 🏏 @bethcooper.fyi · 11/08/2026
In the wild @kiaoval.com Added bonus is as a member, get a discount! @rafnicholson.bsky.social
The Women in Whites in the SSE stand at the Oval.
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Women's Cricket Blog @womenscricblog.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Former England International Freya Davies (now Freya Blood) is running the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise money for Breast Cancer Now, in memory of her Mum (& my wife). If you fancy supporting her www.justgiving.com/page/freya-r... Please feel free to RT......
justgiving.com
Royal Parks Half for Breast Cancer Now
Help Freya Blood raise money to support Breast Cancer Now
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Daniel Norcross @norcrosscricket.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
It really is a fabulous book which doesn’t shy away from examining how the women running women’s cricket for decades were every bit as regressive and elitist as their MCC counterparts in the men’s game, while still celebrating some true heroines I knew nothing about.
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Women's Cricket Blog @womenscricblog.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Just finished reading this. Raf's passion for women's cricket oozes from every word. It should be required reading for every current & future pro woman cricketer in England. CTTOI It would do the men good to read it too.
Women in Whites by Raf Nicholson
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
One of the things I try to teach my Bournemouth sports journalism students is how to ask good questions in press conferences. Me blurting out to Nic Carey tonight “what the bloody hell just happened?” was probably a “do as I say, not as I do” teaching moment 😂
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Raf Nicholson @rafnicholson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
MI London have FINALLY won a game... in the least convincing fashion imaginable.
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