Ellie Bishop shows off the Moeen Ali bat awarded to her by Devon CCC for her significant contribution to cricket in 2023<br>credit: Contributed

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

UP-and-coming all-rounder Ellie Bishop is the latest recipient of a Devon CCC award for the lady cricketer who has made a significant contribution to women’s and girls’ cricket during the season.

Bishop, who plays for Sandford CC in the Tolchards DCL, Plympton Ladies and Western Storm’s Emerging Player side, was a member of the Devon team that reached the final of the Royal London Under-18 Cup, where they lost to Staffordshire at Grantham by 87 runs.  

In nine league and cup games for the county team Bishop made 310 runs – top score 153 not out against Cornwall at Grampound Road – and took 15 wickets at exactly 11 runs each.

Bishop also impressed for Western Storm with a knock of 41 against the Southern Vipers in a Twenty20 game – and hit a rapid 83 for Plympton Ladies in a Tolchards Devon Women’s Cricket League match.

An impressive set of statistics for the 2023 season included

  • The highest score across all county age group team
  • Devon women’s bowling award 
  • The outstanding fielder in the women’s side.

Bishop’s significant contribution earned her a Moeen Ali bat sponsored by the M5 Sports Management Group, long-time supporters of youth cricket development, who also sponsor a similar bat for the young male cricketer of the season. This year’s winner was Ben Beaumont (pictured, below).Devon president Jack Davey (left) hand the Moeen Ali bat to Ben Beaumont

Neil Gamble, the Devon chairman, heaped praise on Bishop for her achievements with bat and ball last summer.

“Many congratulations on your success with the Devon Girls’ team,” said Gamble. “All of us at Devon CCC hope you make plenty of runs with the Moeen bat next summer.”

Gamble had hoped to present the bat in person to Bishop at Sandford CC, but was thwarted by a clash of fixtures on the part of sportswoman for all seasons.

“Ellie is a multi-talented sports person who, unfortunately, was unable to accept the bat because she was playing football for Torquay United at Portsmouth,” said Gamble. “Her mother, Jo, received the top-quality willow on Ellie’s behalf.”

Around 300 people were at the presentation to hear Gamble refer to M5’s major contribution to Devon CCC and especially to the Devon Lions player-development programme.

Devon CCC have a responsibility to promote women’s and girls’ cricket as part of their partnership agreement with the England & Wales Cricket Board.

The Moeen Ali bat awards, instigated in partnership with M5 Sports Management, are a visible way of celebrating the successes of developing players.

Bishop’s award sits side-by-side with the bat presented to Beaumont, who was an integral member of the Devon Men’s side that won the NCCA Western Division title in 2023.

Beaumont made more than 600 runs for Devon in all three formats of the game last season, including a maiden county ton against Bedfordshire. The only other Devon batsman to top 600 runs was James Horler, who was the Moeen Ali bat recipient in 2022.

Beaumont was presented with his bat by county club president Jack Davey following Devon's win over Herefordshire at Sidmouth that clinched the Western Division title back in August.