Raf & Syd discuss Clare Connor becoming MCC President; who’s been awarded a regional retainer in England and why; Kim Garth’s move to Australia; and news about salaries for The Hundred.
Plus, we ask you: should the Women’s Ashes be extended? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
In the words of our old friend Mike Selvey, it’s “been a good couple of days for women at Lord’s.” First Clare Connor was named as the next president of the MCC – the first woman in the club’s 200-year history to be so venerated; and then Beth Morgan became the first woman in 150 years to be voted an Honorary Life Vice-President of Middlesex County Cricket Club.
Both selections are welcome and deserved – Clare Connor, former England captain, now Managing Director of Women’s Cricket at the ECB; and Beth Morgan – World Cup winner and the only player (Middlesex or otherwise) to have featured in every season of the Women’s County Championship.
But following these appointments, what’s important now is that these firsts are not also lasts. It would be right for a man to follow Connor as president of the MCC, but after that the club must not then use Connor’s term as an excuse to say: “You’ve had your turn – now back to the men for the next 223 years!” There are plenty of deserving women out there – let’s make sure the next next MCC president is a Claire or a Mel… not another Colin!
It’s going to be harder for Middlesex though, because the best female players won’t be playing for them any more – they will be playing for the London Somethings or the Eastern Somethingelses – teams that there are no guarantees will still exist in 20 years time, let alone going-on 200.
And sure, the players for the Somethings and the Somethingelses will get paid – probably more in a season than Beth Morgan did in her entire career – but they won’t have that history behind them, or the pride to wear a shirt that generations have before.
The recognition of Morgan and Connor, as well as Surrey and Kent’s recent efforts to acknowledge the histories of their great women players of the past by handing out belated, and in some cases even posthumous, county caps, should feel like the start of something.
It’s important to make sure it’s not the end too.
After Lisa Sthalekar raised the possibility of bringing multi-day cricket back to the Australian domestic calendar, there has been some chat on social media about whether we could do the same in England, via the new Centres of Excellence which are hopefully set to take off later this summer… the “C” word permitting!
Unfortunately, it’s probably not realistic for the CoEs to play multi-day cricket – for the foreseeable future they will continue to be dependent on semi-professionals, who will make up 2/3 of their squads and who will need to maintain day jobs for the 10 months a year they aren’t playing in The Hundred.
But over the 8 CoE “franchises” we will nonetheless have 40 full-time professionals who won’t be playing for England, and for whom there would be time in the calendar to play multi-day cricket during the weeks of May, June and September.
We’ve got the players… we’ve got the time… we just haven’t got the teams!
So how about we make the teams, by bringing the 8 franchises together into two blocks for a North v South showdown, playing a series of three three-day matches, with full First Class status, across the summer?
It would help prepare the domestic players for playing Test cricket – it is completely ridiculous that new caps go into an Ashes Test having never played a “proper” First Class game (ie. not a “jumpers for goalposts” warm-up) in their lives.
It would also give those players who will never quite play for England something to aspire to be part of – a selection and representation opportunity below international level; and you never know – it might just uncover the odd diamond in the rough too.
It needn’t even cost much – we are already paying the players, and it doesn’t have to be played at Lords. [Although… now you mention it… Ed.]
If we want to make this happen, we can!
ECB… over to you.
Raf and Syd discuss travel exemptions ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand; Rachel Priest’s retirement; the Cricket Australia cuts; England players returning to training; Katherine Brunt’s future; and, in an alternative universe, which England team would have been taking to the field against India next week?
Plus… via the magic of green screen we’re at a Kia Super League ground – but which one?
Raf and Syd discuss the appointment of Heather Knight as PCA Vice Chair; the return of Lauren Winfield, Amy Jones and Lisa Keightley from Australia; what the elimination of coronavirus from New Zealand might mean for the 2021 Women’s World Cup; and does women’s cricket need shorter pitches?
Plus… via the magic of green screen we’re at a match between Warwickshire and Middlesex… but where is it being played?
Raf and Syd discuss Black Lives Matter, asking: does women’s cricket have a problem? While in other news they discuss the latest on WBBL, as Meg Lanning floats the idea of a return to double-headers; and Raf gives us an update on the English domestic contracts.
Plus… via the magic of green screen, we’ve hijacked the Sky Pod… but which English county ground have we driven it to?
Raf and Syd discuss the success of the CRICKETish Cup; Cricket Australia’s summer schedule; the challenges of reopening big sporting venues to the public; the UK government’s plans for the resumption of elite sport; and the latest on the domestic retainers.
Plus… via the magic of green screen… where and when are we?
Raf & Syd are (virtually!!) at Lords for this evening’s final of the CRICKETish Cup – follow @WomensCricDay for all the cyberaction from 6pm! They discuss the value of the new domestic retainers and contracts in England, England’s evolving plans for trying to get some cricket this summer, a possible reduced WBBL, and the ICC’s Back to Cricket guidelines.
As predicted in our weekly vodcast, the ECB have confirmed that domestic retainers will be introduced from June 1st, in order to partially compensate players who were hoping to receive one of 40 new domestic contracts, which were supposed to have started at the beginning of this summer.
The ECB have said that up to 24 women will receive a retainer, which will come with reciprocal obligations on the players to start work on taking their anti-corruption and anti-doping education modules online, as well as following strength and conditioning programmes at home throughout the lockdown.
The ECB have not said how much the retainers are worth or who will receive them, though the implication appears to be that the players will be selected by the Regional Directors of Women’s Cricket at the 8 new Centres of Excellence, which were also confirmed last week.
Raf & Syd discuss when and how England might return to training; hosts for the Regional Centres of Excellence; retainers & match fees for domestic players; the postponement of the World Cup qualifier; and when might big cricket stadiums be able to reopen?
Plus, this week we’re at yet another iconic cricketing venue – can you work out a) where we are, and b) which England player says this is her favourite ground?
CRICKETher 