The Kia Oval. Home of Surrey Cricket. Ashes Tests, World Cup finals, legends of the game. On Saturday 9th May it also hosted nine very excited women from Outwood, squinting into the sunshine and trying to look like they do this sort of thing every weekend. Thanks to the Surrey Cricket Foundation, around 200 women descended on one of cricket's most iconic grounds for Women's Super Saturday — a day of learning, playing, and frantically texting people photos of themselves on the hallowed turf.

MORNING SCHOOL: APPARENTLY CRICKET HAS RULES

The morning kicked off with four courses: Coach Support, Introduction to Scoring, Introduction to Umpiring, and the Changemaking Course.

Think of it as a cricket masterclass, if the masterclass involved a lot of enthusiastic nodding and quiet Googling under the table.

By midday it was time for the real business: actual cricket, on an actual international ground, in actual sunshine. The universe was, for once, cooperating.

KA MATE, KA MATE... SORT OF

The Blazes were allocated New Zealand — the White Ferns — channelling Suzie Bates, Melie Kerr, and Sophie Devine without, it must be noted, attempting the accents...

Beddington's bowling proved too tight to crack, but the Blazes bounced back strongly against Ottershaw to claim a win and progress to the Silver group 4th place play-off.

THE SILVER GROUP: WHERE LEGENDS ARE MADE

First up, local rivals Reigate Priory. Fresh off making the Surrey honour board the previous week with figures of 4/7, Rachel Walters decided that was merely a warm-up act and proceeded to take the sole hat-trick of the entire competition. On. The. Oval.

Supporting the attack superbly, Ness Burgess and Maz Graham chipped in with wickets of their own, and Fiona Farmer pouched a catch so good it deserved its own highlight reel. The Blazes weren't just turning up — they were turning it on.

BLAZES vs THE BANKERS

JP Morgan were pegged back to a respectable 44 runs by some tight Blazes bowling, with returning original Blaze Lucinda Charlesworth keeping wicket as though she'd never been away: sharp, stylish, and making it look entirely effortless. Like a great song you forgot you knew all the words to.

Then came the batting, and what a display it was. Every Blazes pair got in on the act, finding the boundary with some lovely clean hitting and reminding JP Morgan's bowlers that there really wasn't anywhere safe to bowl.

Then came the moment the members enclosure will not forget. Captain Maz Graham, fully channelling her inner Suzie Bates, opened her first over with three fours and one enormous six straight into the members. The Blazes cruised home for a well-deserved 4th place finish.

THE BIT WHERE WE GET SENTIMENTAL (BRIEFLY)

200 women, one world-class ground, glorious sunshine. For the nine Blazes it was genuinely an opportunity of a lifetime, a hat-trick, a stunning catch, wickets shared around, a returning legend, and memories that'll last considerably longer than the tan lines.

Huge thanks to the Surrey Cricket Foundation for making it happen.

YOUR TURN. YES, YOU!

If you're wondering whether cricket is for you, this is your sign. The Blazes are out here taking hat-tricks on international grounds and hitting sixes into the members. Could be you next year on the Oval, or playing in the sun in Spain. Don't wait wondering, drop captain Maz a message ladiescricket@outwoodcricket.club and get started. No experience required. Funny accents also not required. ?