12 photos that show why women cricket deserve our serious attention like their male counterparts

The field of international cricket is one such place where the women have shown remarkable progress in all departments of the game and yet, sadly, remain largely unsung and unrecognized for their efforts

When it comes to brains, women can be as good as or even better than men. But when it comes to brawns, women have genetic disadvantage. But it’s a tribute to the spirit of womanhood that many women have surmounted those limitations and challenges to match their male counterparts.

The field of international cricket is one such place where the women have shown remarkable progress in all departments of the game and yet, sadly, remain largely unsung and unrecognized for their efforts. The media too has done precious little to do justice to these brave warriors. Criclife salutes women’s cricket and cricketers and showcase their efforts that are as good as their male counterparts.

 Australia’s Meg Lanning, who is the No.1 batswoman in the ICC One-Day International (ODI) rankings, plays a reverse-sweep reminiscent of AB de Villiers.

 

 

England’s Sarah Taylor, who also keeps wicket for the side, follows Meg Lanning in the rankings. Now that’s an innovatively-adventurous stroke straight out of Steve Smith’s book, isn’t it?

 

 

 Australia’s Cathryn Fitzpatrick was hailed as the ‘Female Brett Lee’ while being recognised as the world’s fastest women pace bowler, bowling at up to 125 kmph. She had to be a special bowler to end her career with averages of 19.11 and 16.79 in Tests and ODIs respectively. She stretched herself beyond the physical demands not only delivering thunderbolts but also playing international cricket till the age of 39!

 

 

 The biggest area of improvement in international cricket is fielding — a quantum leap from the last century.  The stakes being so high, players throw themselves at the ball. Well, the modern international women cricketer is not to be left behind in this regard as exemplified by England’s Charlotte Edwards in this picture while sliding to save a boundary.

 

 

 

Modern fielding often sees fielders working in tandem. While one slides and prevents the ball from cross the rope, another is ready in anticipation to gather the ball from the off-balance colleague and rifle in a powerful throw back to the keeper. In the above photo, England’s Heather Knight (on the ground) shows that the girls are not lagging one bit behind in this respect.

 

 One of the most difficult stops in the game of cricket is for a bowler, especially for a fast bowler. It’s not easy to brake from the force of the momentum after a delivering a ball. And when it is low along the ground and to the wrong side, it’s the degree of difficulty is that much greater. But, again, the distaff side is not lagging behind in effort to their male counterparts, as England’s Katherine Brunt shows in the above photo.

 

 Modern batsmen go full tilt in throwing themselves in their attempt to prevent getting run out. Heather Knight (above picture) shows that women too have the will like men in rising to such challenging situations.

 

 Now that stroke from left-hander Lydia Greenway is straight out of the IPL manuals!

 

 

 That’s a paddle-sweep, a shot which Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni master in. Now Lanning can play the same with equal efficiency.

 

 Lydia Greenway stretches every sinew to grab that one at the boundary. Did someone say women are weaker sex?

 

 With the changing times, women have stretched their physical bounds and made the seemingly impossible possible. Alex Blackwell’s effort (above) is an example.

 

Who was the first batter to score a double hundred in One-Day Internationals? Most people would say it’s Sachin Tendulkar. However, much before Tendulkar got to that seemingly impossible mark, it was a woman who showed that it can be done. Australia’s Belinda Clark accomplished that feat when she hit 229 not out against Denmark at Mumbai in the 1997 Women’s World Cup.

 

(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sportsmarketer , strategist, entrepreneur,  philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)

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