Day 13: Why I write

With it looking increasingly likely that travel will have to be kept local, what options does that leave someone who wants to write about cricket?

The standard of games streamed last year improved dramatically. It does make it easier in some regards. The thought of eating Pringles all-day while in the comfort of your own home is appealing.

You can’t see if the fast bowler is brooding at fine leg or if there has been a change in the deep. Even in an empty stadium, there is nothing like being there. I was fortunate enough to cover some games from the ground in 2020. The reassuring walk towards Trent Bridge was comforting.

I missed my trip to Worcester, a ground I have always tried to visit every year for as long as I can remember.

When covering the women’s game, my aim has always to try and be fair to every team. To say that you don’t have favourites would be lying. Since I started writing about the women’s domestic game geography has been the main factor in this. I don’t make any money doing this. Therefore there are budget factors, and scheduling one as well.

With reduced public transport the only teams viable to cover were Lightning and Central Sparks. Northern Diamonds and Thunder were just out of reach. I still got to watch in person all the teams from the northern group.

The teams in the midlands I have grown fond of. I have been able to report on games involving Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. I have become familiar with the players involved and have always looked forward to attending their fixtures.

Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire have played some close games over the past few seasons and no more dramatic that the tie between the two in 2018. It was Warwickshire’s second tie of the season.

The Kia Super League was a window on what it would be like to have a professional set up and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy continued that good work. The passion not just from the players but those around them has been awesome. Its future incarnations and the advent of the Hundred have shown that the future of women’s cricket in England is in decent shape.

 I have made friends and met interesting people during this time and my wish is to meet up with them again and continue making sure that the world knows about these wonderful people.