Day 47: Lets get it right

Even with an international pandemic causing havoc, it is still disappointing that a side that reached the finals of the last T20 and ODI World Cups cannot arrange a bilateral series. I’m not saying it is easy, yet India can stage a four-test series followed by a string of ODIs and T20s with England. Yet again it is the women’s team that may miss out.

If the BCCI were really serious about women’s cricket, India would be the best side in the world with the best domestic competition. It has neither of these things.

It would, of course, be disingenuous to say that other national boards are any different. However, in a host of countries, there is a feeling that women’s cricket is at least given a chance to grow. Some nations don’t have a budget for a professional international squad, although, there are countries that are trying.

The T20 format is giving smaller cricketing nations the chance to get a foothold in the international game. Bhutan is one such country. Now that T20 World Cups are stand-alone competitions there is no reason why a T20 World Cup can’t be expanded to include 14 or 15 teams. It would help incentive teams in the top eight nations to improve while giving the sides just below them to become competitive.

It was great to see that Sussex women have committed to keeping county cricket going as they have committed to the London Championship this year giving the county game a strong presence in the South-East.

Also, see Richard Clark’s article for The Cricketer to see that the county game is still relevant in the women’s game. https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/womenscricket/keeping_flag_flying_women_county_cricket_lives_on.html

Englan’s women lost their final warm-up match before they begin their series with New Zealand next week. These warm-ups help the players go through the gears and have little impact on serious business. New Zealand has a core of match-winning players, and England will not be taking the series lightly.

Sophie Devine is in great form, as is Amelia Kerr and with Amy Satterthwaite, Leah Tahuhu and Suzie Bates there is enough talent to beat any side in the world.

There were encouraging signs that Danni Wyatt has found some form and if England is going to win next year’s World Cup, it will be important that along with Tammy Beaumont England are getting off to decent starts.

The Record, a documentary series about Australia’s Women’s T20 World Cup has finally made it to Amazon Prime Video in The UK. I will be watching it tomorrow and update you on what I think.