Kelly Castle

{{short description|English cricketer (born 1997)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Use British English|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Kelly Castle | female = true | image = | caption = | country = England | fullname = Kelly Shannon Castle | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|9|4|df=yes}} | birth_place = Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England | nickname = | heightft = | heightinch = | heightm = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm medium | role = All-rounder | family = | international = | internationalspan =

| club1 = Essex | year1 = {{nowrap|2011–present}} | club2 = Sunrisers | year2 = 2020–2024

| columns = 2

| date = 19 October | year = 2024 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1004/1004523/1004523.html CricketArchive }}

'''Kelly Shannon Castle''' (born 4 September 1997) is an English cricketer who currently plays for Essex. She plays as an all-rounder, bowling right-arm medium and batting right-handed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/874171.html|title=Player Profile: Kelly Castle|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=16 March 2021}}</ref><ref name="CAprof">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1004/1004523/1004523.html|title=Player Profile: Kelly Castle|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=16 March 2021}}</ref>

==Early life== Castle was born on 4 September 1997 in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.<ref name="CAprof"/> She attended King Edmund School in Rochford and Anglia Ruskin University.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-14 |title=Kelly bowls them over with apprenticeship |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/14965454.kelly-bowls-them-over-with-apprenticeship/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Echo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essexcricket.org.uk/2017/10/20/essex-womens-star-completes-stint-off-the-field/|title=ESSEX WOMENS STAR COMPLETES STINT OFF THE FIELD|publisher=Essex Cricket|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref>

==Domestic career== Castle made her county debut in 2011, for Essex against Middlesex. She scored a duck and did not bowl.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/344/344576.html|title=Essex Women v Middlesex Women, 3 August 2011|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> This was the only game she played in 2011, and played one more in 2012 before becoming more of a regular in the side from 2013 onwards. In 2015 she took her maiden county five-wicket haul, 5/18 against Scotland, and overall took 10 wickets at 14.80 in the County Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/745/745851.html|title=Essex Women v Scotland Women, 30 August 2015|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/24/Royal_London_Womens_One-Day_Cup_2015/Essex_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Essex Women/Royal London Women's One-Day Cup 2015|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> She was also her side's leading wicket-taker in the 2015 Women's Twenty20 Cup, taking 13 wickets at an average of 8.61.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/24/NatWest_Womens_Twenty20_Cup_2015/Essex_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Essex Women/NatWest Women's Twenty20 Cup 2015|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> In 2017, Castle hit her List A high score of 47, opening the batting in a victory over the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1026/1026397.html|title=Essex Women v Netherlands Women, 28 May 2015|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> She was named as Essex's Twenty20 captain in 2018, and became captain in both formats in 2019.<ref name="List A">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1004/1004523/Womens_List_A_Matches.html|title=Women's List A Matches Played by Kelly Castle|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref><ref name="T20">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1004/1004523/Womens_Twenty20_Matches.html|title=Women's Twenty20 Matches Played by Kelly Castle|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> In the 2019 Women's Twenty20 Cup, Castle was her side's leading wicket-taker, with 7 wickets at an average of 12.42, and hit her Twenty20 high score of 48, in a win against Devon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/32/Vitality_Womens_Twenty20_Cup_2019/Essex_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Essex Women/Vitality Women's Twenty20 Cup 2019|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1101/1101155.html|title=Devon Women v Essex Women, 30 June 2019|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> She played six matches in the 2021 Women's Twenty20 Cup, scoring 42 runs and taking three wickets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/35/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2021/Essex_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Essex Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2021|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/35/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2021/Essex_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Essex Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2021|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref> In the 2022 Women's Twenty20 Cup, she scored her first two half-centuries, including 75 against Suffolk, scoring 167 runs overall as well as taking four wickets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/35/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2022/Essex_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Essex Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2022|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/35/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2022/Essex_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Essex Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2022|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1198/1198950.html |title=Suffolk Women v Essex Women, 2 May 2022 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref>

In 2020, Castle played for Sunrisers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. She appeared in all 6 matches, scoring 85 runs at an average of 17.00 and taking one wicket.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/34/Rachael_Heyhoe-Flint_Trophy_2020/Sunrisers_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Sunrisers/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/34/Rachael_Heyhoe-Flint_Trophy_2020/Sunrisers_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Sunrisers/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2020|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> In December 2020, it was announced that Castle was one of the 41 female cricketers that had signed a full-time domestic contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ecb.co.uk/england/women/news/1923070/forty-one-female-players-sign-full-time-domestic-contracts|title=Forty-one female players sign full-time domestic contracts |publisher=England and Wales Cricket Board|accessdate=16 March 2021}}</ref> Castle was ever-present for the side in the 2021 season, and was the side's leading wicket-taker in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, with 10 wickets at an average of 21.10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13889;team=6767;type=tournament |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2021 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13890;team=6767;type=tournament |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2021 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref> She also scored her maiden List A half-century in the tournament, 52 against Lightning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2021-1252263/lightning-vs-sunrisers-1252277/match-report |title=Michaela Kirk, Teresa Graves guide Lightning to keep Sunrisers winless |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=1 October 2021}}</ref> She also captained the side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup.<ref name="captain">{{cite web|url=https://www.sunriserscricket.com/post/kelly-castle-takes-on-sunrisers-t20-captaincy |title=Kelly Castle Takes on Sunrisers T20 Captaincy |date=25 June 2021 |publisher=Sunrisers Cricket |accessdate=25 June 2021}}</ref>

Ahead of the 2022 season, Castle became the Sunrisers captain in all formats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/2685908/kelly-castle-benefits-of-professional-cricket-are-even-better-than-i-imagined |title=Kelly Castle: Benefits of professional cricket are even greater than I imagined |publisher=England and Wales Cricket Board |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> She played eleven matches for the side that season, across the Charlotte Edwards Cup and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, and was the side's joint-leading wicket-taker in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with 7 wickets at an average of 16.85.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=14446;team=6767;type=tournament |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2022 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=14448;team=6767;type=tournament |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2022 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> In 2023, she played 18 matches for Sunrisers, across the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the Charlotte Edwards Cup, taking 15 wickets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2023-15157?team=6767 |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2023 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/charlotte-edwards-cup-2023-15158?team=6767 |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2023 - Sunrisers/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref> She stepped down as captain of the side in June 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sunriserscricket.com/post/sunrisers-statement-captaincy-update |title=Sunrisers Statement: Captaincy Update |publisher=Sunrisers Cricket |date=7 June 2023 |access-date=7 June 2023}}</ref>

In October 2024, she signed a professional contract for Essex Women ahead of the 2025 women's domestic cricket restructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://essexcricket.org.uk/2024/10/23/essex-women-announce-new-player-signings/|title=Essex Women announce new player signings|publisher=Essex County Cricket Club|accessdate=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cqxwj2nrrzeo|title=Essex Women announce first professional players|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=23 October 2024}}</ref>

Castle was part of the England Development Programme at Under-15 level.<ref name="Misc">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1004/1004523/Womens_Miscellaneous_Matches.html|title=Women's Miscellaneous Matches Played by Kelly Castle|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{cricinfo|id=874171}} * {{cricketarchive|id=1004523}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Castle, Kelly}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Anglia Ruskin University Category:Sportspeople from Southend-on-Sea Category:Essex women cricketers Category:Sunrisers women's cricketers Category:Cricketers from Essex Category:21st-century English sportswomen