Cheshire beat rivals Yorkshire 6–3 in the final at Betchworth Park to claim their first county title since 1996, powered by a five-win singles session after trailing in the foursomes.
The North West county trailed 2–1 after the morning foursomes but turned the match around in the afternoon, winning five of the six singles to seal victory. It is Cheshire’s first title since 1996 and ends a 30-year wait.
Yorkshire, unbeaten all week, started strongly, with Becki O’Grady and Grace Lambert winning 5&4 and teenagers Mila Dodds and Molly Campbell taking their match on the last. Cheshire needed a response, and got one from Emily McBurney and Lauren Jones, who edged out Charlotte Colley and a rival pairing after a missed 15-foot putt for the match.
That point set the tone. Jones, unbeaten across the week and the standout performer with 5.5 points from six, opened the singles with a 4&2 win. Amy Anson followed 3&2, and Lucy Jamieson held off a Dodds fightback to close out 1-up on the 18th.
Katie Stephens claimed Yorkshire’s only point of the session before Sophie Clafton’s 4&2 win at the 16th clinched the title. Morgan Bollan won all four of her singles matches during the week.
Cheshire President Marjorie Griffiths said the win meant “everything” to the county, adding that the team had “clawed our way to the final” after playing some strong sides along the way. She credited increased investment in playing and training since Cheshire’s union with the men’s county set-up.
Bucks won the third-place match 7–2 against Lincolnshire, with Ella Butteriss winning all four of her singles across the week. Kent finished fifth, beating Hampshire 6–3, while Essex edged Dorset 6–3 in the seventh-place play-off — Dorset’s Lilli Horn was named player of the week with 6.5 points from a possible seven.
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