It feels really amazing to be back in the fold again after taking the gamble last summer to leave out my bowling so as not to risk further serious injury. I worked really hard in the winter; having obviously missed out on the Australia tour, I needed to put in some good batting performances in the domestic competitions. I now only have one discipline so getting in the line-up will be harder – you have to make it count when you get your opportunity and especially if you're a batsman, you only get one chance.
That's no words to describe what it means to play for England, but when I got the phone call to say I was in the summer squad, I did have a little cry – for about 20 seconds, before I thought "pull yourself together".Since my last blog I've played a few Super Fours matches, finishing off one with 133 in a big stand with Lottie. It's just nice to be feeling in good form.
On top of that, I got involved in the Cricathlon on CricketAM, which is a competition to sprint with all the pads on, throw a stump like a javelin and a standing high jump. Without blowing my own trumpet, I cleaned up. It was good fun, good to get the women on TV as well.
We also launched the series on a boat going to Calais from Dover and back. We played cricket on the helipad and lost about 30 balls in the sea, it was also a chance to speak to the journalists and get some information out about the summer, which kicked off with West Indies.
Speaking of the West Indies, with having a Jamaican mum, I was asked by a journalist the other day if I felt any conflict playing against them. My answer was "No, I'm from Souf London (sic) born and bred." Obviously I'm English through and through but at home there are many Jamaican traditions – food, culture, music – which I love and respect.
West Indies themselves were an unknown quantity. I've never seen them play so I didn't know what to expect. It was the first time the sides had met in 15 years. It's extremely important to be playing them ahead of next year's World Cup and the World Twenty20. You need to have an idea what to expect so you can prepare. We're used to the Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans and Indians and it's good for world cricket.
I would say it's a good test for both teams. You can't come with any preconceived ideas or plans so therefore you have to play good cricket on the day and the best team will come out. Our team talk was just about focussing on our own game. It was just a case of "We know what we need to do and keep it simple."
We only got one half of the game in on Friday but I thought they bowled in good areas and their fielding was pretty sharp, with some good arms. Then it was nice to finish off with a competent win on Saturday when we bowled them out for 41.
We were definitely clinical and professional with how we approached our cricket with the ball, in the field and with the bat. It was a nice way to start the international summer and things must continue to improve for the next few months and the winter ahead.
Isa (Guha) was amazing with the ball. I know from facing her in the morning before the game she was moving the ball around corners and difficult to handle. She is one of the most disciplined and determined cricketers I have the honour to play with and figures of 5 for 14 demonstrated that.
For me personally I wasn't required to do much on the day. I have been asked if I miss bowling on days like that when the bowlers are cashing in, but not really to be honest. I am just grateful for the opportunity I have in front of me and it is nice to enjoy each others' success, and hopefully this is what will make us into a team to contend with.
It was really good to get the opportunity to open the batting, but by the time Squirt (Sarah Taylor) sunk her teeth into a few boundaries, the 41 required to win was on the board. She hit the best six I have seen all season, back over the bowler's head. Juicy!
The next challenge is South Africa who promise to provide good competition. It's building up to be a great summer.
Its really nice 2 c women playing cricket. However, the fame & popularity they should get is going to take some tiem, as most people prefer men's cricket. As a matter of fact, people understand the word SPORT synonymous to MEN'S activities. The media should try & bring ideas of sponsoring & producing the game of women's cricket with such delicacy that even the most sexist of men should watch it. It will take time, but all it takes is an idea. Perhaps something like, bringing in cricket celebrities, play with & against them as a starter, also, presentations by cricket big names like tendulkar, warne,etc., should be used to good effect & promote womens cricket.
Mithali Raj, India's former captain, has been on the international circuit for a decade. In August 2006, she led India to their first-ever Test and series win in England and capped off the year by winning the Asia Cup - the second time in 12 months - without dropping a game. India, under her captaincy, also reached the World Cup final in 2005. Now, as one of the senior members of the side, and the premier batsman, a lot will be riding on her for the two World Cups - 50-over and Twenty20 - that India will play in 2009.
Urooj Mumtaz managed to juggle a course in dentistry along with captaining Pakistan. Their most recent triumph was qualifying for the World Cup next year and the 22-year old Urooj will lead a young team to Australia in hope of creating a favourable impression of the Pakistan women's team among the other sides as well as back home. A legspinner, she has a hat-trick against Zimbabwe.
Cri-zelda Brits became South Africa’s captain at the age of 23, standing in for Shandre Fritze in the home series against Pakistan in 2007. She followed this by captaining the side to a 3-0 series whitewash against the Netherlands as well as winning the first-ever Test between the two sides by 159 runs. In 2008 she scored her maiden ODI hundred and led South Africa to a spot in the World Cup after beating Pakistan in the Qualifiers final in Stellenbosch. She also coaches the Northwest women's team, based in Potchefstroom, and runs her own academy.
Shelley Nitschke combines playing for Australia and her state with working in cricket, as a school officer. A useful spinner, her batting is also worth talking about – she has developed into a handy allrounder. Her major achievements to date are winning the 2005 World Cup, taking 7 for 24 against England in Kidderminster in 2005 and being nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Year in 2006-07. Although she has played netball, softball and basketball, cricket has always been her stand-out sport.
Ebony Rainford-Brent made history as one of eight England players to be handed a Chance to Shine coaching contract, allowing her flexibility around training. A top-order batsman, she fought back from what doctors thought was a career-killing back injury and could one day bowl again – calling her determined is an understatement. She is on the Surrey Academy and her Super 4s side is Diamonds. Proficient in basketball and athletics, she settled for playing cricket … and the drums.
Haidee Tiffen has played for New Zealand for more than ten years and is now their captain, having begun her career with Otago Under-21s before heading to Canterbury. She has played representational hockey, basketball and rugby – but cricket is her passion and won out over New Zealand junior hockey. She is particularly proud of winning the World Cup in 2000, reaching the 100-ODI milestone and being skipper. Her experience also includes playing for Sussex for two winters and she was also part of the first female academy in Lincoln. Somehow she also finds time to teach Health and PE at Hillmorton High School.
Isobel Joyce,a class bat with a steely mentality, comes from a family full of cricketers - twin sister Cecilia plays alongside her for Ireland and brother Dom for the men’s national team, while another brother, Ed, plays for England and Middlesex. Her first half-century came against a strong New Zealand attack in Dublin in 2004 and her figures of 4 for 20 helped her side beat Scotland by six wickets in the European Championship in 2001, where Ireland won all their three matches. Her 46 against Netherlands in the summer of 2007 helped to maintain her place in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa. She was in outstanding form with both and ball during the tournament, scoring 148 runs at 37 and taking 10 wickets at an average of 7. She ran out five Pakistani players in Ireland's first match, before earning two successive Player-of-the-Match awards against Scotland and then Zimbabwe, against whom she scored 70 and took 4 for 10. She was named captain for their next series, against West Indies, after Heather Whelan pulled out because she was expecting.
Nadine George has been a regular for West Indies since her debut in 1999. She first led the side on their tour of Europe in June-July 2008, when West Indies thrashed Ireland and Netherlands while putting up a respectable performance against England. Nadine combines playing for West Indies and her national team, St.Lucia, with her day job as a Sergeant in the Police Marine Unit of the Royal St.Lucia Police Force. A left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, Nadine says the highlights of her career are receiving an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2005, being the first West Indies woman cricketer to score a century in a Test (in Pakistan in 2004), playing in the World Cup in South Africa (2005), and playing club cricket in Australia in 2006. Nadine also plays netball and volleyball and loves the marine environment and is passionate about diving. She is a qualified open water diver and during her working hours captains a 65 and 82 ft vessel. Her motto in life is "with hard work and dedication one can achieve".
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