ENGLAND STAR SEES A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE WOMEN’S GAME
PAUL BROWN
QThey say 180 million viewers watched theWorld Cup. How have things changed for you since?
AMy profile definitely changed. It wasn’t like Justin Bieber or anything! But when you talked to people it was all they wanted to talk to you about. It was a watershed moment in women’s sport. It put women’s cricket on the map. It took over a year for it to sink in.
Q ADo you feel any added pressure to maintain that success now?
It might seem like there is added pressure. I don’t think we feel it. But we’re aware there’s greater expectation.You’re under more scrutiny. But you can’t get too wrapped up in that.We welcome it. It means the sport is getting bigger.
QEngland lost the Ashes this summer, do you think this team can bounce back ahead of the 2021World Cup?
AIt was a mixed summer for me because I won the
County Championship with Kent andWestern Storm won the Kia Super League. It was incredible to be part of that domestic success. But with England it was one of the toughest summers we’ve had. To lose the Ashes to Australia and not play as well as we should have was tough. But we’ve come together as a group.We’re in a good place. We’ve been talking about how
TOTTENHAM have inflicted some hefty defeats on Bournemouth in the four seasons since the Cherries joined the top flight.
Among eight match-ups there has been a 5-1, 3-0, 4-0, 4-1 and, suitably on Boxing Day last year, the knockout punch of a 5-0.
Given Spurs’ resurgence under Jose Mourinho and a run for Bournemouth of just win one in eight, it is tempting to predict another drubbing.
Yet Eddie Howe has fared pretty well against the Portuguese in their four meetings, with his side never failing to breach a Mourinho defence. Tottenham should be good we’re going to become the world’s best again.
Q AYou will be playing for Oval Invincibles in The Hundred. How exciting is that?
I was sceptical at the start.A lot of people were.A lot still are. I wasn’t sure it was needed. But after learning why it was happening, and being a part of it, I’m excited. Cricket needs it for a new audience.We need to
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Q AI’m hoping it can help support our domestic structure and help us go professional domestically. It could be massive for women’s cricket.The money it could bring in can help fund our domestic structure.We need young players coming through pro domestic cricket into the national team.We need to be producing world-class players.
Q AWhat can it do for the women’s game?
What does the future hold for the sport?
There’s never been a better time for women to get into cricket.The opportunity now for girls to play any sport is massive.TheWorld Cup was always going to be a pivotal moment and it was amazing to be a part of it.