Women's cricket on the up
Greater crowds and higher television coverage tally with England captain Charlotte Edwards prediction that women's cricket could attract as many people as the men's game writes Jenny Cornish in the Telegraph
09-Aug-2013
England captain Charlotte Edwards remembers when she played Test cricket in a skirt. Her compatriot Laura Marsh learnt her trade in a team full of boys. Now, women's cricket has come into its own on the global stage with greater crowds and higher television coverage promoting Edwards' prediction that in the next 10-15 years, the women's game could attract as many people as the men's version. And just as importantly spur young girls to look at cricket as a career writes Jenny Cornish in the Telegraph.
Zoey Cape, 15, from Somerset, is one of the new generation of female players coming through. A Chance to Shine coach spotted her natural talent on a visit to her school, and she was invited to join Minehead Cricket Club. The teenager had only ever played cricket in her back garden, messing about with her brothers, so it was a big step for her to go to a cricket club. And in July last year, Cape made her debut for Somerset's senior women's side.
Pete Smith in his blog for the Guardian offers an insight into Ellyse Perry, social sciences student, opening bowler and professional footballer for Australia.
The 22-year-old not only plays two sports at the elite level, she does it alarmingly well and has the Botham-esque knack of creating something from not much. She debuted for Australia's senior national football team as a 16-year-old and scored a goal after just 90 seconds. In recent years Perry has found her football niche as an overlapping full-back and regularly sets up goals via her dead-ball acumen, invariably delivered with the same pinpoint accuracy as her 120kph bowling.