GEORGIA Davis’ journey into professional cricket has been anything but conventional.
Davis will skipper the side in their historic first season this year – to cap a 15-year association with Warwickshire that started at Under-10s in the club’s youth pathway.
Until as recently as 2023, Davis was combining pounding the beat as a West Midlands Police officer with putting in the hard yards at the Edgbaston Indoor School – as she pursued her dream of being a professional cricketer.
Davis, 25, said: “It was tough, balancing being an officer with my passion for cricket. I watched The Bill on TV growing up and wanted to be a police officer!
“Coming off a night shift into a game or training was particularly hard. I think the worst bit was probably having to use all my annual leave on games, so I ended up having no off time to myself.
“But as my cricket progressed from a love and passion to a potential career, with the women’s game expanding, I knew there was an opportunity there and one I needed to dedicate all my focus on to succeed.
“I’m quite proud of the fact I was able to sustain a full-time job for three years which required shifts and still perform at the level I did. I look back now and don’t know how I did it!
“My goal was always to get as far as I possibly could with cricket. I look back at my time with the police with fond memories – but I’m extremely happy with my choice to turn professional.
“It was a dream to be able to have the opportunity to play cricket for a living, and something I never take for granted.”
Davis called time on her police career in 2023 as she stepped into full-time cricket and a pro contract with the former regional side Central Sparks.
Now, working hard in the winter ahead of Bears Women’s inaugural season, the hard work does not stop for the Birmingham-born player.
She has enjoyed an outstanding couple of years on the field.
The spinning all-rounder was the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, she made it to The Hundred final with Welsh Fire last summer and took two wickets on debut for England in a ODI last September.
Davis added: “Last year was great, and topping it off with my first England cap was a pretty special moment for myself and my family who have supported me in whatever I have chosen to do.
“This year is an exciting one and being able to call Warwickshire my home again is something very special. I’ve played for Warwickshire since I was 10 and played 100 senior games, so to continue doing this but as a professional now is amazing for me.
“We’ve got a young and talented squad of Bears Women, so it’s going to be very exciting to see what we can achieve over the next few years.”
Bears Women will fight for trophies on three fronts: The Vitality Blast T20, Metro Bank One Day Cup, and for the first time a knockout competition featuring sides from all three tiers of the national system.
