The Independent: The ECB’s 100-ball propaganda target betrays a worrying mindset

Features, Print, Sport, The Independent

Women are at the heart of driving innovation in cricket – they are not being deterred from it because it is too difficult to understand

I was seven years old when I learnt the cub scout motto: be prepared. It seemed simple enough – a concept which any kid, or mum, might easily embrace. It is worrying therefore that the England and Wales Cricket Board’s most recent proposals, to make “cricket as simple as possible” so that even “mums and kids” might understand it, appears to be lacking in this most basic of areas – preparation.

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The Independent: Women’s Ashes – Charlotte Edwards stands firm despite defeat

Features, Print, Sport, The Independent

“Where were we exactly 10 years ago today?” tweeted Clare Connor to her former team-mates the day before England entered their, ultimately futile, must-win T20 against Australia at Hove on Friday. The former England captain, now Head of Women’s Cricket at the ECB, was alluding to the day England women, after 42 barren years, regained the Ashes from Australia in 2005.

The Independent: Women’s Ashes – England turn to Fran Wilson to check Aussie momentum

Features, Print, Sport, The Independent

England head into the first and only Test of their Ashes series on Tuesday knowing that Australia, now 4-2 up in the multi-format series after taking the One Day Internationals 2-1, have found the X-factor so sorely lacking at present in their men. Captain Meg Lanning is living up to her status as number one batter in the world having struck a sublime century in the second ODI to take her series tally to 195.