There are three number-one teams playing at the Riversideon Saturday. South Africa are the top-ranked Test and Twenty20 team, Englandlead the one-day international rankings and, due to an unbeaten run of 16 T20games, the England women are also the No 1 limited-overs team in the world.
They play the West Indies at 10.15am in the first of three T20s as a lead upto their own T20 World Cup later this month in Sri Lanka, which they arefavourites to win.
The women's match is live on TV and radio and should not be regarded as amere aperitif to the main lunchtime fare. If you hadn't noticed, England have now got some seriousplayers. Charlotte Edwards and Laura Marsh look to blitz the opening overs withsome clean hitting, wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor must be the most exciting batsmanever to play the women's game – a sort of Kevin Pietersen without baggage – andArran Brindle last year became the first woman to score a hundred in a men'sPremier League match – for Louth in Lincolnshire.
There's Danni Wyatt, whose angelic face belies a fierce competitiveness withbat and ball, and bustling fast bowler Kathryn Brunt, a female Tim Bresnan. Andwatch out for the fielding of Lydia Greenway whose extraordinary saves on theboundary at Canterbury against India this year defied human biomechanics.Jolly-hockey-sticks types they are not.
The women's game has come so far in the 10 years since lottery funding wassecured in 2002. A new 'Super 4s' tournament has bridged the gap between countycricket and the international stage, the Ashes were recaptured for the firsttime in 42 years and in 2008 coaching contracts with the ‘Chance to Shine’schools initiative were granted to a number of the players. Many are employedfull time in cricket and it has become a viable career option for girls.
My 12 year old daughter Nancy is involved at county level. There is a busyfixture list involving all the counties (minor and major) and even at that agethey train harder than we used to as young aspiring teenagers. There arespecialist coaches everywhere and careful assessment of all their attributes.It is very rigorous.
Just about the only piece of advice I ever got as a young hopeful was fromthe old England captain and chairman of selectors Gubby Allen, who was watchinga junior match from his Bentley parked by the sightscreen. As I walked past helowered the window and proclaimed 'Hughes – too many no balls!' (And my fatherwould say I didn't even listen to that.)
All Out Cricket magazine this month devotes an entire supplement to women’scricket. Their profile has never been higher and the flourishing of the women'sgame is vital in this country. Because of cricket's diminished exposure on liveTV, parents and primary school teachers play a key role in encouraging kids toplay the game – and well over half of those teachers are women.
If they have played cricket or been inspired by the England women they aremore likely to encourage their class to play the game in PE instead of doingdance or gymnastics, or, god forbid, rounders – one of the most overratedsports going. It should be left to the beach where it belongs.
With girls outstripping boys in their rate of physical development, it isnot beyond the realms of fantasy to imagine that one day a female might playfor a male county team. That might stir things up a bit!