Burgess Hill's Tia Joseph wins 'Best Batter' award

Tia Joseph collecting her 'Best Batter South-East' award. Picture courtesy of John Vowles.

If it wasn’t for her mum enrolling her in a summer cricket club where she was the only girl, Tia might never have discovered her passion for the game.

Within a year she was playing regular club cricket for Brighton and Hove and was selected to join the Sussex Cricket Pathway.

The opportunity for her to play cricket for school, club and county at various age levels has helped her develop rapidly as a cricketer.

In 2018 she won ‘Most Improved Player’ at the Sussex Cricket Women’s Awards.

In 2019 she took over 55 wickets and scored two half centuries, including an unbeaten 52 off 30 balls against Surrey.

As a result of these and other performances she won ‘Best Batter South East’ at the 2019 Sussex Women’s Cricket Awards.

Tia was delighted to have received the award: “My batting statistics have improved this season as I’ve been very conscientious about developing my technique.

It’s great that more schools like Burgess Hill Girls are introducing cricket to the curriculum.

Playing for the school has helped me to develop my confidence, practise new shots and take more risks.”

Tia is one of a talented group of cricketers from Burgess Hill Girls.

Regina Suddahazai Khan, in the year above Tia, is captain of the Sussex U14 girls’ team and recently won Roffey Cricket Club’s overall youth player of the year award.

Burgess Hill Girls’ alumna Holly Tasker is President of the University of Cambridge Women’s Cricket team.

It won’t be surprising if one of these talented young women emulate another alumna, Caroline Atkins, who won over 50 caps for England.

Burgess Hill Girls also sponsors the Burgess Hill Women’s and Girl’s cricket teams.

Head Liz Laybourn commented: “This is an outstanding achievement, Tia should be immensely proud of her performance.

"Cricket has become a high profile sport at Burgess Hill Girls and what is evident is that the students are able to achieve incredible success when provided with such opportunities.

"I’m sure the success of Tia and our other cricketing stars will inspire many more girls to take up the sport.”