Local girl makes cricketing history at Fulmer Cricket Club
18 year old Katie Gibson stands next to the scoreboard at Fulmer Cricket Club following her fantastic fifer.
Young cricketer Katie Gibson showed England’s star players how to make a home debut with a fantastic ‘fifer’ for Fulmer on Saturday.
Katie, 18, from Gerrard’s Cross was playing her first home match for the local village team, Fulmer Cricket Club, when she tore into the opposition batting.
Bowling against Rivets Cricket Club, originally founded by an engineering company, a blistering short spell of 7.2 overs saw Katie take five wickets (known as a ‘fifer’) for only 23 runs – figures that any first class professional cricketer would be proud of.
Her amazing session, which included two catches, one stumping and two bowled, reduced Rivets to a total of 133 all out off 33.2 overs and helped Fulmer to an eight wicket victory. More incredibly, Katie sees herself as a batsman not a bowler!
‘I’ve played cricket for about four years now with the High Wycombe Ladies and the Bucks County Squad until January this year when I stopped to concentrate on my A’ Levels‘, said Katie, ‘I’ve opened the batting for High Wycombe and Bucks U17 Girls but I’ve rarely bowled… maybe three overs in two years for Bucks!‘
During her time with High Wycombe CC, Katie won the Female Young Player of the Year, 2012, and the Ladies Players’ Player of the Year in 2013.
Proud dad, Keith, who once played with England’s Gladstone Small whilst training as a PE Teacher, joined up with Fulmer this season and brought Katie along with him. He commented, ‘She loves cricket, playing and watching, and her bedroom walls are covered in home-made posters of the England cricket team – both men and women! She was fantastic today and it was made even better as her grandfather was here to see it!‘
Fulmer’s Saturday captain, Tony King, said ‘Katie is already a great asset to Fulmer. She has a brilliant attitude, fields well and now we’ve seen what she can do with the ball. It’s very important to remember that she was bowling against experienced players and none of her wickets were ‘gimmes’. She’s a genuinely talented player and we’re very happy to have her as part of the Fulmer team.‘
Club Chairman, Peter Box, said ‘Fulmer has been playing village cricket since 1895 and this is the first female ‘fifer’ ever bowled at the club! To do it on your home debut is wonderful and with her dad and grandfather watching it makes it even more special.‘
He continued ‘We’ve always been a club that welcomes players of all ages, abilities and gender and Katie is already showing why we love to have anyone who wants to play cricket come and join us.‘
Katie celebrates in traditional style with her Fulmer team mates, including, on her left, Club Chairman, Peter Box and captain Tony King.
Fulmer Cricket Club is based at King George’s Field in Fulmer, South Bucks, close to Pinewood Studios and plays Saturday and Sunday non-league fixtures from April to September.
The club is self-sufficient and all funds come from the members themselves with the ground work and maintenance done by the playing members. Net sessions and team selection take place every Tuesday evening at the ground and new players are welcome at all times. Visit fulmercricketclub.com for more information.
