England and Australia’s women have been reflecting on the changes throughout their careers as they prepare for the Ashes Test at Canterbury that starts on 11 August.
From not being allowed to enter the Lord’s pavilion when they played there until 1998, to the recent introduction of professional contracts for both squads, the face of women’s cricket has changed dramatically.
Australia’s vice-captain, Alex Blackwell, has been part of the set-up for 13 years. If she appears at Canterbury, it will be her 200th appearance for Australia – a feat no other female cricketer has achieved.
Blackwell initially juggled her cricket commitments alongside her job as a genetic counsellor. Mornings were spent talking to mothers-to-be about potential chromosomal defects in their babies. She would then rush home, grab her cricket gear and head out to evening nets. It was, as she admits now, a hectic lifestyle.
“It was a pretty challenging job,” she says. “I didn’t think making a living from cricket would ever be a part of my career. It was something I always dreamed about. Historically women have left the game before they have reached their best because of financial pressures and work-life balance, so I think that’s a big change.
“When it was getting to crunch time, it was so demanding on my time to support myself in my career and then play cricket for my country. It got tough for me, leading into the last domestic season, and I was able to make the choice to keep on going with cricket. I feel like I’m the first female cricketer in Australia to have made that choice.”
Blackwell can now support herself solely through her cricket career. Australia play more regularly, are together more frequently and, put simply, are treated as professional cricketers should be.
England, too, have seen a shift in dynamics. The introduction of central contracts was a reward for the Ashes victory in Australia. It has offered a stability to players who in the past did not know how long they could sustain playing for England. “I was really lucky,” England’s vice-captain, Heather Knight, said. “I went to university for three years and balanced that with being in the England side.
“When I came out of uni I wasn’t sure which direction to go in. I did a few bits – Chance to Shine and some ambassador stuff – and then when we went professional that made my mind up.”
Both women have to stand up to increased media scrutiny as they prepare for the Test at Canterbury. It will be broadcast on Sky – a first for the women’s game – and both are aware of their roles as ambassadors for women’s sport.
England are trailing 4-2 in the multi-format series, but are a squad suited to Test match cricket. Knight is hoping to build on the memories of Perth. In an ever-shifting match, England beat Australia by 61 runs, in oppressive heat. “It would have been a great one to watch but it was very stressful from the dressing room,” Knight said.
“My main memory was the relief of coming in after every session and getting into the air-con because it was so hot. It was such a special four days for us. It reinforced how much every ball is an event and how small passages of play can affect the game, even though it’s over four days. We’ll take a lot of confidence from that. Hopefully it will be slightly less stressful.”
