Triumph offers golden opportunity for Connor
CLARE Connor has just experienced one of the best days of her life - and is hoping she can help ensure for years to come that women’s cricket makes the most of England’s thrilling World Cup triumph.
Connor, director of England women’s cricket, described victory for Heather Knight’s team over India in front of a 27,000 Lord’s sell-out crowd on Sunday as “ecstatically overwhelming”.
As a former national captain herself, she revelled in the moment as Anya Shrubsole’s match-winning spell turned near certain defeat into glory. Her brief, though, is to maximise the potential not just of the England team but her sport in this country - and a fourth World Cup trophy presents the golden opportunity to do both.
Global broadcast audiences are being estimated at more than 100 million, while participation levels in England and Wales continue to rise from just 90 clubs with women’s sections 10 years ago to 700 this summer.
There is no time to rest for the England and Wales Cricket Board, and Connor especially, with the second edition of the Kia Super League coming next month - having attracted many of the world’s best who helped England stars such as Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor and player-of-the-tournament Tammy Beaumont light up the World Cup. Few can have taken greater pleasure in England’s win than Connor - both as a driving-force administrator and a former player, ranking the experience alongside her own most memorable achievement of regaining the Ashes in 2005 after 42 years of Australian supremacy “I found yesterday ecstatically overwhelming,” she said.
“I’m normally quite composed, and I found myself welling up on TMS between innings.”
After Shrubsole was recalled to the attack, the match turned.
“Those last nine overs, I was able to watch with my family and friends which was very special,” added Connor.
“You really want to share those moments, whether you are in my role or not, with those closest to you.
“I was either leaping up off my seat punching the air...or crying.
“It is very, very special when you have been privileged enough to have played for your country and then see that happening in front of you.”