TWO Premier Division teams in the Thames Valley Premier Football League will kick-off next month with slight changes to their name.

Unity become Wright & Unity Sports – nothing to do with me - while Woodley United have dropped Reserves in favour of Royals.

The Premier Division starts on Saturday, August 19.

Fixtures: Reading YMCA v Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves, Berks County v Westwood United, Cookham Dean v Woodley United Royals, Marlow United v Wright & Unity Sports, Mortimer v Highmoor Ibis Reserves, Newbury v Taplow United and Wraysbury v Woodcote Stoke Row.

  • ENGLAND Women’s World Cricket Cup glory at Lord’s last Sunday was also a celebration of the 272nd anniversary of the first-ever women’s cricket match in the country.

That first maiden over, on July 26, 1745, involved a team from Bramley and so earned a mention in the Berkshire Mercury, one-time sister paper of the Reading Chronicle.

Played at Gosden Common, Guildford, the Mercury described it as “the greatest cricket match that was played in this part of England between 11 maids of Bramley and 11 maids of Hambledon, all dressed in white.”

Hambledon, wearing red ribbons in their hair, recorded 127 runs (although called notches in those days) to beat Bramley, wearing blue ribbons, with 119.

“The girls bowled, batted, ran and catched as well as most men could do” according to the Mercury correspondent.

Of course, July 23, 2017 will always go down in history as the day when England, captained by Berkshire player Heather Knight, lifted the World Cup in front of a full house at Lord’s with millions around the world watching the game on TV.

  • EX-Reading player and Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez will be among the speakers at Berks & Bucks FA’s first ever Coaches Conference at Piggott School, Wargrave, on Sunday, August 6.

It will offer all FA qualified coaches (Levels 1 to 5) with six hours of CPD (continuous professional development).

Other speakers include Les Howie, FA head of grass roots coaching, and Berks & Bucks FA’s coach developer Daniel Fenner.

There is a charge of £20 per person, but that includes lunch.