I can’t remember a single girl in any cricket club I played in when I was young. Now about 10-15% of players at Fulham CC are female, which is better than many other clubs, but still too low. That being said, there are many encouraging signs, with girls getting really involved in the game from an earlier age. Some girls in our club joined when they were as young as 5 or 6, and a lot of them are now truly exceptional.

The girls and women in this country have a lot to be proud of, and significant change has been made in the last five years. The women’s game is great to watch, with top-notch senior leadership from players like Heather Knight and some promising upstarts such as Issy Wong. Off the pitch, former cricketers like Ebony Rainford-Brent are fantastic ambassadors for the sport and encouraging new entrants to join. The sport is more accessible, and exposure has increased through school, TV, the news. There is still a long way to go but we should be really proud in the UK as to how far the girls and women’s game has moved forward. Having women play the first game for the new 100-ball competition is something we would have never imagined 20 years ago.