The women winning the World Cup was an amazing advert for
cricket, inspiring a nation and bringing together fans all across the country.
It showed an immense display of positivity around not just women’s cricket, but
women’s sport in general. Fans which included thousands of girls were gripped
by the fantastic games and the chance of England winning. There is no doubt
that it improved participation in cricket from girls, and inspired many girls
to now go get into sport, and that they can do something just as well as anyone
else can, or even go one further than any male teams have as England showed.
There was a buzz around women’s cricket for a period of time after that final,
it was being spoken about more than ever in my opinion, and I heard people
discussing it around me, which left me feeling so proud of that team and the
idea women’s sport was getting recognition that it needs. Throughout that time,
girls really did run the world.
However, since that incredible spectacle, it seems that we
are just going round in circles with women’s participation in cricket. The
introduction of the soft ball tournament struck home that they don’t believe
women enjoy the game as it is, which was further portrayed when the new
proposed format ‘The Hundred’ was advertised to be attracted to women,
especially mums. This suggesting that we currently cannot understand the game,
and that we need a new format to help us be attracted to cricket. Personally, I
have ample ability to understand the various formats of cricket, and what the
ECB branded as ‘’baffling rules’ during their advertisement of the soft ball
tournament. It is not beyond the capability of women to watch, and enjoy a
cricket game. This negative marketing of cricket for girls and women watching
cricket makes you realise that the people in charge of the game have such
little faith in women in cricket, after everything our very own women’s team
did, it seems to be being undone fairly quickly. The inspiration so many girls
felt, has been took away as they now feel they have to take part in a
simplified game for them to take part.
Throughout the world cup that our women won, 50% of ticket
sales were to females, showing the interest for the game is there, but somehow
the ECB have managed to patronise most of that audience by implying that they
can’t understand, or participate in the usual rules of cricket or focus on a
format which is in fact only 20 balls less than a current format. The England
women’s team did not need a soft ball, less balls, a new set of rules to go out
and win a world cup so why do others girls? It feels like it is one big circle,
of positivity around women’s sport, inspirations and participation all
increasing, but then gets brought back down by the thoughts that women have
limited interest or ability in a sport that I know so many women love, and
certainly have no problem understanding, even after a few cocktails! There is
plenty of other ways to get women and girls into cricket, its been shown by the
‘All Stars’ campaign that plenty of girls have shown their interest into the
game from grassroot clubs and that this is also on the rise with more and more
signing up to the programme.
The issue also with the current situation the ECB believe to
be that not many families are choosing cricket as an activity to take their
children to, therefore explaining that they believe they need a new format to
appeal to these families, and in particular mums. The new format is not going
to all of a sudden turn mum’s ideas about cricket around, cricket and counties
need to ensure that they produce a spectacle that is for a family. It is not
the format that is limiting the potential of our current formats, it just needs
a little attention in the family friendly department. Counties are putting all
their efforts into making a cricket match a family activity with kids zones,
family stands or activities and there is no reason this cannot attract the
desired audience. Mothers aren’t thinking of how many balls an over there is, if
they will get hit with a ball, or if they wont be able to understand it, they are
thinking about giving their children the best fun possible, and getting value
for money. Mothers can be just as much of part of the cricket audience as
anyone else, if its done the right way.
Participation in women’s sport is on the rise certainly,
however after our girls achieved the biggest triumph in cricket and gave
inspiration to so many girls it seems that it is almost being washed away. Even
though girls are enjoying cricket up and down the country, and women can sit
and watch 5 days of a test match and understand it fully, the ECB still feels
that we need a simplified version of the game with less risk to be hurt in to
be attracted to it. Soon they may realise that if they just showed a little bit
more faith in the female audience, it may solve their supposed problem…