AN all women rounders team made up of members from other teams across Skipton and Craven is celebrating after smashing its way to victory in the West Yorkshire League.

‘Smashboks’, sponsored by Skipton based JB Springs, came together in 2019 after playing as a team made up of half Silsden Smashers and half Springboks, with the team name blended to become ‘Smashboks’.

The team played in that year’s West Yorkshire League tournament, ‘gelled really well’ and eventually went on to win both the league and the cup in 2019.

Building on its success, the team reached out to other teams and is now also made up of ladies from Addingham’s Dingham Dashers and Skipton Sloggers.

The women play in their own teams on Tuesdays and Thursdays before coming together in the West Yorkshire Rounders League as ‘Smashboks’.

At its last league game of the year, Smashboks  were up against Hanging Heaton Jets Rounders team, based at Hanging Heaton Cricket Club for the final division one game of the season, at the Hanging Heaton ground.

Smashboks had to win by 10 rounders to win the league, on rounders difference. Hanging Heaton ladies held their ground, but finally gave way to Smashboks, with the final score 16 to 0.5. The result meant Smashboks took the top place title in division one of the league.

Hannah Thornton, captain of the Smashboks, described the team as phenomenal and she looked forward to the start of the winter league in the autumn.

“As captain I could not be more proud of the team,” she said.

“They work so hard and we gel so well. We don’t train as a team as we have our own teams that we play in so when we go to a match over in the West Yorkshire league we have to literally get our Smashboks game face on and work as a team.

“The team is phenomenal. Each and every team member attributes to every game. We turn up and naturally do our thing. We cry, we laugh and we have fun. We’re still buzzing from our win and look forward to the winter league starting in October.”

Hannah added her thanks to ‘team mum’ Nicola Driver, who looks after everyone and to ‘team mascot’ and ‘chief scorer’ Yvette Savoury.