Girls playing cricket. It’s certainly sparked some debate at Synergy HQ this last week or so.

ICC World Twenty 20 Champions

After Paul Collingwood’s England crashed out of the ICC World Twenty20 in the Super Eights it was left to Charlotte Edwards’ mighty World Champions to claim yet another world title. Having watched a masterful display by Claire Taylor, 76 not out, in Friday’s semi-final against some rather butch Aussies I was right behind our girls to bring some winning ways back into the dressing room at Lord’s.

I arrived at the home of cricket yesterday bright and early, 9.35am to be precise. Thinking I’d get a prime position in the Warner stand. Wishful thinking – the stand was packed out! We managed to squeeze in somewhere up the back as the two teams came out for the national anthems.

I won’t lie, there were murmurs of what type of game was about to be played and could it ever live up to the excitement of the men’s game. A subject that had been hotly debated in the office last Friday. What followed was a masterful display of swing bowling by man of the match Katherine Brunt and fielding Jonty Rhodes would have been proud of. In fact one diving stop in the outfield caused the pin-striped suit next to me to jump up in admiration and recognition.

The atmosphere was actually electric (and that’s not just rhetoric) as the England attack ripped through a lukewarm Kiwi side. With 86 to win, our girls kept their heads and chipped away at the runs. Claire Taylor, later crowned player of the tournament, ensured England’s emphatic win and another World title. Now a little birdy told me this is apparently the first England team to have won a world title on home soil since 1966, so you’re in great company ladies.

I’d had my doubts on whether women’s cricket was something I could really get into, but watching an England team yesterday – highly skilled, full of camaraderie and actually winning – made me hugely proud. Well done ladies, I salute you. Now if you could go and show those boys a thing or two…

By Caroline Ayling on June 22nd, 2009

Tags: Cricket, Default, ICC World Twenty20