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2017 Diary

A Ramble on Women's Cricket
 - with diversions -

This diary will be updated erratically throughout the year.

Previous Page  (From Skirts to Pink Balls - part 3)

From Skirts to Pink Balls (part 4)

At some point around 5 to 10 years ago I was walking the boundary with a group of fellow supporters, mainly from Sussex. Somehow the conversation came round to the question "who was the best English player never to play for England?" Now that's something you might expect half a dozen or so people to fall out about. At the very least you might expect 6 people to have 6 opinions. If there was any agreement then surely it would be a Sussex player, most of the group being Sussex supporters.
Well none of these expectations were realised. There was - very surprisingly - completely unanimous agreement. What were the odds of that? And who was the player? Berkshire's Yvonne Craven... 

[Yvonne Craven] © Don Miles[Yvonne Craven] © Don Miles

Berkshire's Yvonne Craven

On the previous page I mentioned  Drummoyne. I am unsure to this day if the 6 that Stafanie Taylor hit over the site screen at the lower end of the ground is the furthest I have ever seen a women hit a cricket ball. There is possibly one that may have edged it.  In 2010 England hosted the White Ferns with the 1st ODI being played at Taunton. New Zealand opener Maria Fahey struck the ball towards the building that, at that date, held the changing rooms. Now I believe it's a restaurant but facilities around this ground seem to be permanently on the change.

[Maria Fahey] © Don Miles

Maria Fahey batting in the 1st ODI at Taunton in 2010

I recall this clearly since I came close to being struck by the ball - failing to pay attention...  I was sitting on the balcony and the ball struck the steelwork just below my feet - quite a hit!
2009 showed, however, that women's cricket still wasn't on the public's list of sports to follow. After such a fine year the public voted in a TV poll for the England men as team of the year. I typed somewhat sarcastically on the blog about that fact as their season had been nowhere near as successful as the women's had been.
I also recall choosing Danni Wyatt as my fielder of the year. I had been able to watch little of her play up to that point - she was an almost new face to me - and she has later become one of my favourites fielding anywhere on the park but frequently on the boundary rope. How does such a throw come from such a slight figure?

Danni takes a low catch for Sussex in the County Championship in 2016

I also heard a curious statement during commentary in 2010. Ian Bishop about Suzie Bates In the ICC T20 final "Well, she's hit the ball further than I ever did?" Now I know he was known principally as a bowler, but that seems a little over the top. Mark you, having watched more of Suzie Bates in more recent times, maybe not...

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In view of the upcoming World Cup this series will be resumed at a later date - perhaps in the autumn.

 

Meantime - here's some thoughts on the 2017 World Cup