Interview with OUCC and Middlesex's Hannah Davis
After earning a call-up to the Middlesex CC summer squad in March, Women’s Blue Hannah Davis reflects on her path to professional cricket, the evolving landscape of the women*’s game, and her ambitions for the season ahead at the Parks.
Hannah, huge congratulations on making the Middlesex squad! What an amazing achievement, and such a testament to all the hours and hard work you’ve had to put in over the course of your career. How did it feel when you got the call-up? And can you talk us through the selection process too – an Oxford degree on the side must be quite the demand?
Thank you! With the whole structure of women’s cricket changing, the end of the season was an uncertain time with many players - including myself - unsure of what opportunities would be available. I had lots of conversations with a number of coaches at different counties and, having missed out on a place at Essex, Middlesex quickly became my top choice. Like most counties who were looking at selecting a whole new group of players, Middlesex ran ran ‘open trials’ so I was required to attend a number of sessions in October and a combination of these, along with performances in the season lead to my selection. It felt great to be offered a place in such a strong team and have some certainty over where I would be playing. Balancing cricket with my degree has definitely been challenging - I regularly have to travel home for training, which means making sacrifices and being disciplined with my time. That said, I love keeping busy, and it’s been great to enjoy cricket alongside studying. Being selected into the Middlesex squad has made all the hard work worth it!
You performed consistently with both bat and ball last season, scoring a brilliant 110* against the University of Warwick, and collecting 16 scalps for the Essex 1st XI. What part of your game do you pride yourself on most, and is there an area you’ve been especially focused on improving this year?
Last year was an enjoyable one for me - I really enjoyed playing for Oxford University in the early part of the season and getting the opportunity to play as an all rounder. It is difficult to select one skill that I value most, but I take pride in the way I think about the game and approach tactics. I enjoy playing in high pressure situations and manipulating field settings or trying to think of a way to get a batter out. I also think fielding is super important - this is an area I am constantly trying to improve to make as much of an impact as I can. In terms of technical stuff, over the winter I have been working hard on improving my pace as a bowler. Being around the Middlesex environment and working with the coaches there, as well as the other spin bowlers, has certainly helped with this. It has been great to speak to other players and learn from each other.
Playing for Middlesex and being in and around the squad must be quite exciting. Could you share with us what the environment there is like, and how you and the rest of the team are feeling about the upcoming season?
Yes - being around the squad has been a lot of fun. I already knew most of the team, having played with or against them in the past, but it has been great to get to know some new people as well. The group has a positive energy and desire to improve, which makes the environment supportive as well as competitive. Everyone is fighting for selection and pushing each other to be better, which definitely puts us in a good position going into the season. The team seem excited to play together after a long winter and there is no doubt we have a strong side, so hopefully that will lead to a successful summer!
Women’s cricket has come a long way in recent years, but still faces unique challenges around visibility, resources, and recognition. Have these dynamics shaped your experience as a player, and do you feel a sense of responsibility – or opportunity – in representing the women’s game at both university and county level?
Women’s cricket has grown a lot in recent years, although there is still a long way to go. It is great to see more schools start offering cricket for girls and more opportunities become available at local clubs. When I was growing up, I mostly played for boys teams at club level and couldn’t play in school until I moved to a mixed sixth form who offered cricket. This was challenging at times but definitely forced me to be resilient and keep working hard as I often felt the need to prove myself to not just be as good as some of the boys but be better in order to be respected. Even now, playing for men’s teams on a Saturday, there are not always changing facilities or toilets for women – so it is important that these kinds of issues continue to be raised.
It is fantastic that there are now many more female role models and opportunities for young girls in cricket. I enjoy advocating for the women’s game and it’s a privilege to hopefully inspire more girls to continue playing the sport. With increasing visibility and more people watching our matches, this certainly comes with a level of responsibility, but this motivates me to push harder both on and off the field. It is great that the women now have the opportunity alongside the men at Lords both here at Oxford and at Middlesex. The increased publicity and visibility of the women’s game can only be a good thing and will help get more people enjoying the sport.
You captained the Blues last year, guiding them to an impressive 13 wins out of 17, including two victories over the Tabs and a superb win over the MCC. How did you feel about the season, both personally and as a team, and what were the most memorable moments that stood out to you?
I loved captaining the blues last year - it was great to lead such a great group of people with a mix of experience. The team’s commitment throughout the season made my job as captain much easier. It was good to see our hard work as a team pay off, particularly in big games, including victories over Cambridge and MCC. I think the 50 over varsity match at Arundel was the most memorable match. Having been bowled out for just over 100, we were not optimistic at the halfway point. However, we all pulled together as a team and were able to pull off a performance which led to an unlikely win. Everyone contributed in some way, whether that be in the field, with some crucial runs from the middle/lower order or wickets. This was a special way to round off the season and I hope we can have another successful season in 2025.
Looking ahead to this season, there’s already some big marks in the OUCC calendar – Lord’s Varsity, Derby Day, and the fixtures at Arundel. What else are you most looking forward to under Elodie Harbourne’s new leadership, and what should we hope to expect from the women’s side this Trinity?
I think this year, our UCCE BUCS team is looking particularly strong. We are in a fortunate position where we will have some healthy competition for places in the side and I think it would not be an unrealistic target to win our league. Having placed 2nd last year (winning all but 1 game which we only lost by 1 run), it will be interesting to see if we can better this, especially with the addition of some talented freshers this year. I am looking forward to putting in some strong performances and seeing our new squad play together as a team. Hopefully we can build on last season’s success and beat Cambridge 3-0!
A third-year Biomedical Sciences student at St John’s College, Hannah has been a key figure in the Women’s Blues since her arrival in Michaelmas of 2022. As she steps into an exciting new chapter with Middlesex, we look forward to watching her continued success on and off the field and wish her all the best!
Dan Mackay
