PR GIRL WHO CROSSED WORLD FOR HER MAN
Tara Ridgway must have had divided loyalties when she met her husband Eoin Morgan, now 32, when he was representing his country on a 2010 tour to Australia.
She was a 17-year-old part-time model, recently graduated from one of South Australia’s most expensive schools when they met in Adelaide.
Daughter of an Australian politician, she went off to do a double degree in law and international public relations; but the long-distance romance stood the test of time.
Tara Ridgway must have had divided loyalties when she met her husband Eoin Morgan, now 32, when he was representing his country on a 2010 tour to Australia
The sporting beauty (she coxed her school rowing four and played top-level netball as a teenager) relocated to the UK as soon as she had finished her degree, and now, aged 26, works in the PR department for luxury British fashion house Burberry.
The couple’s wedding had to be rescheduled because of a clash with England’s tour of Sri
Lanka, but the pair finally tied the knot last November, at exclusive Babington House in Somerset, ‘I love my job at Burberry — that really helps me get through the winter when Eoin is away playing,’ she once said.
‘I’ve become best friends with the other wives and girlfriends — we all get along amazingly.’
As for her husband, she posted this to her 10,000 followers on Instagram: ‘Could not possibly be prouder @eoinmorgan16 !! It has been four long years, what a finish!!’
NEWLYWEDS FLEW ON TOUR STRAIGHT FROM WEDDING
As far as England cricketing marriages go, Emeleah Erb, 32, was a lucky woman — her 2018 wedding to bowler Liam Plunkett was not disrupted by match commitments, despite a near miss.
The couple’s Cotswolds nuptials were arranged to avoid sporting clashes, but a change in tour schedule by the Sri Lankan cricket board threatened to derail things.
But Liam, 34, insisted on sticking to their plans, since 60 guests had booked to fly in from Pennsylvania, from where his finance worker bride hails. The newlyweds had to forgo a honeymoon to join the team on tour.
As far as England cricketing marriages go, Emeleah Erb, 32, was a lucky woman — her 2018 wedding to bowler Liam Plunkett was not disrupted by match commitments, despite a near miss
DUTY FIRST FOR NEW DAD MOEEN
Firuza Ali is the low-profile wife of spin bowler Moeen Ali, 32.
She gave birth to their second child, a girl named Haadiya, last month — Moeen breaking away from World Cup training in Southampton to be with his wife for the birth in Birmingham, and returning to camp only hours later.
The couple have been married for seven years and also have a five-year-old son, Abu Bakr (pictured left as a baby).
Firuza Ali is the low-profile wife of spin bowler Moeen Ali, 32. She gave birth to their second child, a girl named Haadiya, last month — Moeen breaking away from World Cup training in Southampton to be with his wife for the birth in Birmingham
BRIDE PUT HER HONEYMOON ON HOLD
Carrie Cotterell was working in a Leeds pub when she met her future husband, Joe Root, and had little idea who the man trying to chat her up was.
Now she’s part of the cricketing fraternity, and the couple live in the village of Dore, outside Sheffield, close to where Root, 28, grew up.
The England captain proposed to Carrie, 30, who grew up in Gloucestershire, while out walking in the Peak District, ahead of the World Twenty20 tournament in 2016.
Carrie Cotterell was working in a Leeds pub when she met her future husband, Joe Root, and had little idea who the man trying to chat her up was
Their church wedding, in his hometown of Sheffield, in December 2018 was a suitably glamorous affair involving a white Rolls-Royce (him) and a cascading flow of lace and glossy blonde locks (her).
The medical devices manager (she studied pharmacology at Leeds Metropolitan University) is well used to having to tolerate her husband’s overseas sporting commitments: their Barbados honeymoon was delayed until January because Joe was playing in Australia.
Four days after the birth of their son, Alfie, now two, he flew to Mumbai to play for his country again.
Carrie has more than 17,000 followers on Instagram and calls her husband a ‘wonderful human’.
BEAUTY THERAPIST’S QUIET LIFE
As cricketing wives go, 30-year-old Amie Woakes is surprisingly low profile.
The beauty therapist leaves it to bowler husband Chris to make public posts on Instagram, while her account is private.
The couple were childhood sweethearts, marrying in February 2017 — and Chris, 30, was making 120 not out for England against India six weeks later.
As cricketing wives go, 30-year-old Amie Woakes is surprisingly low profile. The beauty therapist leaves it to bowler husband Chris to make public posts on Instagram, while her account is private
Amie gave birth to daughter Laila in July last year, and the couple live in Birmingham.
She and Laila joined Chris on the pitch to celebrate the World Cup win on Sunday.
HOSPITAL TERROR FOR NEW PARENTS
Instead of enjoying a summer to remember, Elle and Jason Roy could easily have been mourning the loss of their baby girl.
The couple were staying in Nottingham prior to England’s One-Day match against Pakistan in May when their eight-week-old daughter was taken seriously ill.
Little Everly was rushed ‘lifeless’ to hospital, where her parents stayed by her bedside throughout the night while tests were carried out.
Elle (left with Louise Buttler, wife of Jos), 28, is a prolific Instagrammer had a joint baby shower with Jos Buttler’s wife, Louise, and was pictured holidaying with other members of the wives’ group on holiday, in the Algarve, Portugal, last year
‘I went back to the hotel at around 9am and a got a couple of hours sleep before going to the ground,’ said Jason. ‘It was a stomach infection and a bit of a fever.’
Happily, Everly made a full recovery.
Her parents met in Reigate, Surrey — Elle (short for Eloise) grew up there and it is close to where Jason had moved with his family, from South Africa, aged ten.
Instead of enjoying a summer to remember, Elle and Jason Roy could easily have been mourning the loss of their baby girl. The couple were staying in Nottingham prior to England’s One-Day match against Pakistan in May when their eight-week-old daughter was taken seriously ill. Happily, Everly made a full recovery
The couple, who still live in the market town, had been dating for years when they finally tied the knot with a chic ceremony at a French chateau in 2017.
Elle, 28, is a prolific Instagrammer, with more than 10,000 followers and often posts her ‘proud wife moments’. She also shares numerous photographs of Everly, who was born in March.
Elle, who graduated with a first-class honours degree in business studies from the University of Portsmouth, is very much a part of the core cricketing team — she had a joint baby shower with Jos Buttler’s wife, Louise, and was pictured holidaying with other members of the wives’ group on holiday, in the Algarve, Portugal, last year.
Before Everly’s birth, she had been working as office manager and PA for a London-based property investment firm.
PILATES INSTRUCTOR KEEPS JOS IN SHAPE – AND SENDS HIM TO THE SPARE ROOM
When she isn’t supporting her husband, Jos, from the stands, Louise Buttler, 25, is a Pilates instructor.
She is also a devoted mum to baby Georgia Rose, who was born in April and was cradled in her proud mummy’s arms as she ran onto the pitch to congratulate her husband on Sunday.
The couple got married in October 2017, in a romantic ceremony in Somerset, before honeymooning in Positano, Italy.
When she isn’t supporting her husband, Jos, from the stands, Louise Buttler, 25, is a Pilates instructor. She is also a devoted mum to baby Georgia Rose, who was born in April and was cradled in her proud mummy’s arms as she ran onto the pitch to congratulate her husband on Sunday
As well as being frighteningly fit (she has her own business, LB Pilates, in Clapham, South London), Louise is committed to helping husband Jos, 28, stay on top of his game.
Earlier this year, he revealed that she encourages him to sleep apart from her before important games.
‘Any time we’ve had cricket matches, she sends me to the spare room to get some sleep. She takes care of everything,’ he said.
Louise has 27,000 followers on Instagram — although seemingly hasn’t had time yet to publicly congratulate her husband on the site.
TRIAL AND TRIBULATIONS WITH MAN OF THE MATCH
Clare Ratcliffe’s skills as a supportive wife have been put to the test since she struck up a relationship with Sunday’s man of the match, Ben Stokes, in 2010.
In 2013, Stokes and a drinking pal were sent home in disgrace from the England Lions tour of Australia, after what the England and Wales Cricket Board said were repeated warnings about their conduct.
Then last year, Clare, 30, wept in the public gallery at Bristol Crown Court when her husband was cleared of affray.
Clare Ratcliffe’s skills as a supportive wife have been put to the test since she struck up a relationship with Sunday’s man of the match, Ben Stokes, in 2010
The verdict ended an 11-month ordeal for Stokes, 28, who had insisted from day one that he was only acting in self-defence after he was involved in an early-hours street brawl that left a man with a fractured eye socket.
Only a month after the incident, Stokes had tied the knot with his long-time love — and was pictured at the wedding with his hand bandaged.
Clare describes herself as a ‘cricket widow’ and a ‘parent to two monsters’ — the couple have a son, seven-year-old Layton, and a daughter, Libby, four (the cricketer was only 21 when Layton was born).
Clare — who grew up in Somerset and trained as primary school teacher — met her husband after going to watch him play at Old Trafford.
‘I noticed her, she noticed the name on the back of my shirt, and before the end of the game she was submitting a friend request on Facebook,’ Ben said, in an interview.
The couple live in a five-bedroom house in Durham. He says she supports him ‘through good times and bad’ and ‘puts up with my mood swings — especially through the summer’.
Often to be found posting proud mummy pictures to her 20,000 followers on Instagram, yesterday Clare posted a photograph of herself, hugging her jubilant husband, with the caption: ‘Bursting with pride! What a day!!! I have no more words!!’