Day 42: Longing for Loughbrough

I had never been to Loughborough before 2016. It was somewhere you went through on the train. I was never smart or sporty enough to go to the university as a student, but somehow the place became somewhere I have enjoyed visiting ever since.

It wasn't supposed to be that way, of course. Franchise cricket is the enemy. For a supporter of women's cricket, though it would be part of the future, it would be nice to have a team to follow to lend my support.

One team was automatically out; it was nothing against the players or the club's officials, I couldn't bring myself to support a Southampton based side. A Sussex supporter to start with and then as someone who grew up on the outskirts of Portsmouth its rival city was always difficult to warm to.

Born in the Midlands and with Loughborough the nearest Kia Super League side it made sense to start making my way to support them. When they kept signing players that I had a lot of time for it became the obvious choice.

I travelled everywhere to see them play. One game at Southport was the day before a job interview, and I didn't get home until the early hours. I got the job though, so that was a great omen.

The overseas players over the years were varied and all interesting in their own way. The first year there was Dane van Niekerk, Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry. Rachael Haynes, Elysse Villani, Hayley Matthews, Chamari Atapattu, and Mignon du Preez all had spells with the club, and all left different impacts on the side.

Playing for Lightning also helped the international inspirations of players such as Kirstie Gordon and Sarah Glenn who both played for England after successful seasons with the midlands based club.

The Kia Super League has been and gone, although the Lightning brand remains. It is also no longer the only side representing the midlands at the pinnacle of women's cricket and Central Sparks are doing a great job to spread the good work of producing good cricketers and great role-models.

That isn't to say that I don't have a soft spot for the other women's franchises. I always wished Lancashire Thunder well. They had excellent players, real characters who play the game with passion and players you could warm to; they just never had much luck.

Western Storm is a side that if you can build an identity and build unity in a core group of players, success is never too far away.