Last woman

It was interesting to be reminded of the controversial incident in the summer of 1965 when Mrs Ann Quittenton was denied the opportunity of batting at number 11 in her husband's team, Worthing Wednesday, when members of the opposing side, initially not realising there was another player to come, walked off before she had reached the crease.

Ann was acting as scorer for ten-man Wednesday in what was a relegation battle against Beecham Sports and, when the ninth wicket fell, the side required seven runs for victory with ten deliveries remaining.

Husband Roger had already made a contribution with bowling figures of 5-19 to help dismiss Beecham for 57.

Wednesday lodged a protest with the Evening League over the refusal to let Mrs Quittenton bat and a replay of the match was ordered, only for the decision to be reversed upon appeal by Beecham.

Both clubs, plus Sompting Casuals and Broadwater Optimists, finished jointly bottom of Division 1 and had to participate in a unique four-way

play-off to decide relegation. Although beaten again by Beecham, Wednesday avoided the drop to Division 2 by defeating Optimists in the final to send them down.

As a consequence of the controversy, the ensuing annual general meeting passed a new rule confining Evening League cricket to male players only.

Had she batted, Ann would not have been the first woman to play in the league but it was 18 years before the ban was lifted.

Roger Quittenton hit the season's highest score in 1967 and subsequently became an international Rugby Union referee.

The league in 1965 comprised two divisions of seven teams each and, for the first time, 100 matches were played, including those in the knock-out cup but although by 1987 the league had expanded to five divisions of seven teams each and a total of 245 matches, a rapid decline from 1991 led in 2002 to a membership of just six clubs in one division.

-Laurie Claydon, Fixtures Secretary, Worthing Evening Cricket League, Melrose Avenue, Worthing