CONTRACT JOY: ECB BATS FOR WOMEN’S CRICKET
ECB’s contracts move praised by one of only three south Asian players
ASPIRING female cricketers in the England received a major boost with the news that a further 16 women have been given full-time contracts, taking the total to 41 professionals at domestic level.
With the introduction of the Hundred, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is making a concerted effort to give female cricketers a platform to shine.
One of them is all-rounder Naomi Dattani, who told the BBC: “I still haven’t seen what my 100 per cent potential looks like. That’s what is so exciting.
“I’ve always been told I’ve got potential, but I’ve never been able to just give it everything. Education would get in the way, or cultural pressures, or work,” said Dattani, who has signed for London Spirit in the Hundred.
The 27-year-old used to compete against England’s full-time professionals at domestic level. She also worked as a school coach to supplement her income – where she would end up working 20 to 30 hours a week.
Now, having turned a professional has had freed her up to focus on cricket.
Being one of only three south Asian women among the 58 full-time domestic and national professional cricketers, Dattani has had to deal with the cultural pressure while playing the sport.
“It was the little comments, where people would say to you, ‘Oh, but you always have a wedding,’ if I missed a weekend match. And, well, yeah, because that’s… that’s part of my culture.
“I come from an Indian Hindu family. We’re a very big family of probably more than 100 immediate relatives, and you get invited to loads of cultural and social events that you are expected to attend. Especially as a woman.
“Stereotypically, boys could get away (with missing family events) a bit more. But for a girl to say she was (missing these gatherings) to go into sports, well, the lines get blurred. Your family are really supportive but at the same time, it’s not an understood career pathway.”
Earlier this month, another south Asian cricketer, Azeem Rafiq, said he had lost faith in the investigation into his claims of alleged institutional racism at Yorkshire County cricket club.
But for Dattani, “it’s not explicit racism.” However, she points out that with so many British Asian women now playing the sport at an elite level, there are fewer chances of overt discrimination.
The last prominent south Asian woman to play cricket at the top level was Isa Guha, who, after retiring a decade ago, is now a successful commentator.
Alongside Dattani, Sonia Odedra and Abtaha Maqsood are the only two other south Asian women in the country with professional contracts.
“It’s more of an understanding that everyone has different challenges, and they might not be the same as yours,” Dattani said.
“On the women’s side the stuff is a little bit different. There are really no role models for a south Asian to look up to in the women’s game. I believe it’s more of an education gap, where people need to help the younger Asian girls with what it takes to be an athlete.”
She added: “The ECB is running various programmes for south Asians, which I’ve been dipping in and out of throughout lockdown
“They get mums and other women to join and understand what cricket is, for both themselves and their daughters.
“Now, when I’m coaching, it’s not just the dads who are taking an interest but the mums as well, staying near the nets, asking how they can support their daughters. I think that is really encouraging.”