We all talk about Shane Warne’s ‘Ball of the Century,’ Laxman’s 281*, Lara’s 153, Dhoni’s SIX at Wankhede as the game-changing and defining moment of cricket. But have we ever wondered, what moments, which turning-points changed women’s cricket, what made it evolve and gave it strength to create its own identity?
Wonder no more!
Because we bring to you 10 Such Historic moments that we can proudly say changed the way we perceived women’s cricket.
Well, as they say, Rome was not built in a day, it took years of effort and hustle for women’s cricket to create its own identity, it started a process, a revolution and initiated a movement of proving worth, earning respect through the path of passion! The first major turning point in women’s cricket has to be this:
THE MAIDEN WORLD CUP: 1973
The year 1973, women’s cricket was about to get its first-ever world cup! yes, world cup something that is much more than a trophy, a plated cup of emotions, challenges, grit and back then in that era, something that was just unimaginable. The first-ever world cup in the history of cricket began on 20th June and ended on 28th July 1973. The tourney was the brainchild of the businessman Sir Jack Hayward who contributed 40,000 Pounds towards the costs. The funds were limited and the popularity almost negligible and thus England was divided into the “Young England” and “International XI”, along with Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the test playing nations Australia and New Zealand and the team of the hosts- England. Edgbaston the venue and England the winners!
The hosts had topped the group with 20 points with the Aussies just behind with 17 points to their name. The matches were of 60 overs, which is 10 overs more than the usual ODI format today! Enid Bakewell of England scored a stunning 118 that constructed the England innings and took it to their final score of 279-3 in their 60 overs. Also highlighting the captain’s knock of 64 from Rachel Heyhoe-Flint. The Aussies were well restricted by the English bowling and managed just 187-9 on the board.
Enid Bakewell, one of England’s finest ended the tourney as the highest run-scorer with 264 runs while Rosalind Heggs of Young-England topped the bowling aggregates with 12 wickets to her name.
It was not just a tournament played between nations but a quest of excellence and a battle against all odds. We can even say that this was not a competition between the cricketing nations but a battle between cricket and the rest of the nation that did not really see women as cricketers. It started a process, a revolution and initiated a movement of proving worth, earning respect through the path of passion!
Watch the Video here
The 22 Yard stretch that molded me, is what I hold sacred. A cricketer weaving life’s innings into words. A Rohit Sharma Admirer always. I believe writing and cricket aren’t passions, but ways of life, so truly living the dream!
