HAMPSHIRE Women’s Cricket team will kick off their inaugural season in the County Championship’s top flight on Bank Holiday Monday at May's Bounty, writes ANDREW O'KELLY.

The fixture against Warwickshire, who finished third in last year’s competition, will be a tough one for this young and relatively inexperienced Hampshire side.

Hampshire Captain and newly appointed Director of Women’s Cricket, Charlotte Edwards, is confident that her talented young stars, complimented by the experience of current New Zealand Captain, Suzie Bates, and former Southern Vipers and Berkshire star, Fi Morris, are more than up to the task.

“This is a talented group of young players who have made significant strides in the past 12 months. We have a balanced squad full of skilful, energetic and athletic young players who never give up. We will most certainly be competitive in every game this season” said Edwards.

This year Hampshire’s women and girls teams are being sponsored, for the first time, by local Basingstoke based recruitment firm, Simple Recruitment Solutions.

This generous sponsorship will allow for even further growth and development plans for Women’s cricket going forward.

The game at Mays Bounty starts at 11am on Bank Holiday Monday. Before that, the Women play Nottinghamshire at Havant on Sunday.

Hampshire women’s squad: Charlotte Edwards (c), Suzie Bates, Charlie Dean, Ella Chandler, Emily Windsor, Fi Morris, Ariana Dowse (wkt), Katie George, Providence Cowdrill, Rachel Carrick, Danni Ransley and Matilda Callaghan