Since I was really small, cricket has played a huge part in my life. I've been going to games every Saturday in the summer, and picking up the rules, and playing sweep shots in my back garden. And I love it.
When I was about 9, I went with my brother and father to a cricket training session, just because I wanted to try something new.
But the problem was, the coach was very 'traditional' in his beliefs, and didn't believe that the cricket field was the best place for women. So, obviously, the 2 of us girls who turned up to training week upon week didn't have a chance.
So, I gave up. We girls stopped training - at the time I didn't know of any girls who played cricket; didn't even know that there were female international teams.
I just knew that I wouldn't be seen in the same way as the guys.
Ok, I'm definitely not the best cricketer in the world. Heck, I'm not even the best cricketer in my family.
But shouldn't you do things because you enjoy them, not just because you're good at them? And maybe that's what I should have done. Stuck it out and practised some more. Even if I didn't ever play, or if I gave up when I left primary school...
Because my brother plays for the Seconds team, and both my parents are scorers, and my dad's a junior coach, and my brother's an assistant coach...
My family are all involved, and although I know that there's a place for me, I sometimes feel like a hanger-on.
If I was 10 years younger, then I'd possibly be playing right now. Because the new coach is amazing, and talks to me about the Women's Ashes (he's even desperate to train me up as an umpire right now!!)
So although we haven't had a women's team in our village since the 50s, I'm holding out hope that one day soon there'll be a group of girls who'll decide that they
love cricket and do what I did wrong in not caring what anyone thinks.
It's amazing that you fight for your dreams. You can Show your old Coach that this Sport is also something for women. However I have no idea about cricket but wasn't it fair to say `No it isn't a Sport for you. We live in the 21 th century here exist equality- everyone no matter which gender can do the Sport he or she wants. I mean how much ballet dancer exist? I mean Sport is here for fun you can Play Football or whatever it's your right to do the Sport you want and you like.
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