Calmore Sports’ Eve O’Neill has capped off a memorable 2024 by being awarded “The Cricket Society” award for The Most Outstanding Under 16 Schoolgirl Cricketer in England – the Charlotte Edwards Award.
The award, created in March 2020, is decided by the Cricket Society’s Executive Committee following a nomination from the Director of Women’s Cricket at the ECB and has been previously won by South East Stars and England’s Alice Capsey (2019), Davina Perrin, who has gone on to play for Central Sparks regional side and Northern Superchargers in the Hundred (2022) and 2023 winner Amuruthaa Surenkumar from Sunrisers, who made her debut for England Under 19s in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
It is yet another feather in the cap for 16-year-old Eve, a highly regarded member of the Southern Vipers Academy who helped Hampshire to the County Championship Finals weekend in 2024, taking 15 wickets for the county at just 4.43 runs per over as well as playing in six of Calmore Sports’ SPCL matches this season, where she took five wickets but conceded at just four runs an over.
Southern Vipers’ Assistant Head Coach and Lead Bowling Coach James Hibberd, who has worked extensively with Eve throughout her cricketing career, both at Calmore and through his Academy, seeing her progression at close quarters since the age of seven, said, “it is amazing news for Eve to win such a prestigious award, especially one named after our Head Coach Charlotte Edwards.
“Since the age of 7, I have seen Eve grow and grow, she still plays with that enthusiasm and love for cricket as she did on the first day we met.
“I hope that continues and we continue to see her develop. She has a great support network, a lovely family and a club that encourages her in the right way. She is 16 but a role model to many young players. Well done Eve!”
It is probably even more fitting that Eve should win the award named after one of her three heroins of the game – so much so that her shirt number, 64, is their combined shirt numbers – Edwards (23), Sarah Taylor (30) and Suzie Bates (11)!
Congratulations Eve, a wonderful achievement for one of the brighest prospects in the women’s game – Calmore Sports Club is beyond proud.
