RUTH Leese has made local cricket history by becoming the first female ever to play for Bolton League side Adlington's first team.

The 16-year-old became the latest of a handful of women and girls who have made the step-up to first teams at Bolton clubs in recent years when she played in a Dixon Air Conditioning Twenty20 match against Blackrod last Friday.

She earned her call-up by impressing in the second team since moving from Horwich before the start of the season.

She captains Adlington's under-15s side and plays for Lancashire Under-17s having played for the county from u13s.

Ruth, a pupil at Canon Slade, began her cricket career at her home-town club Horwich where she developed under coaches Dave Fairbrother and Mick Fletcher, while another big influence on her bowling has been the coaching of ex-Lancashire player Gary Keedy.

In the T20 first-team game she bowled one over and conceded six runs which is seen as a useful over in the big-hitting T20 format.

She followed up two days later by taking 3-42 for the second team against Little Lever.

Her dad Barry – who is steeped in local sport having organised school sports events in Bolton for many years – paid tribute to Adlington and her coaches for helping her progress.

"Adlington are the most wonderful club I’ve ever come across, I can't speak too highly of how they have been," he said.

"They have taken her with open arms and really helped her.

"Dave Fairbrother and Mick Fletcher were brilliant with her at Horwich and Gary Keedy is a big influence with her bowling. He's great at spotting the little things and irons them out. He's superb."