Europe is known for tourism, its known for food, its known for culture and heritage and now its high time to know it as a continent encouraging the dreams of people especially women. Cricket in Europe is something that’s growing at a rapid pace. The women have been getting ample amount of encouragement, motivation, opportunities and support to pursue what they love. The 22-yard circle is being given importance and is giving the chance to people to live their dream!
Pic Credits : Worcester News
GERMANY :
A country even though more famous for football has its women excelling in cricket. Though there isn’t much known about the team, there are women who consider the 22 – yard circle their life. They have been affiliated with ICC and also took part in the 7th European Women’s T20 Tournament in 2016. They still have a long way to go and are taking this journey one step at a time!
Read here: Germany women’s cricket eyeing a steady growth in Europe
FRANCE :
Another country making their mark in the game of soccer also sees its women wanting to excel in the game of cricket. What’s interesting is that it’s believed that this nation played their first game of cricket back in 1428. In the Olympic Games in 1900, France were the hosts and went onto securing second position, losing to England in the finals.
France has done an excellent job in encouraging the sport of cricket and in 2011 established “Coupe de France Féminine” for the same. The first representative of France women’s team “Dames de France” played against the Jersey ladies in 2011 and then in 2013. The start of an indoor women’s national championship comes off as a big boost for the women and is played between 4 teams. France takes a step ahead and encourages the older ladies too, to play the sport along with their male counterparts. They recognise the growth of women’s cricket and are now motivating and encouraging women of all ages to go ahead with their innings on the field.
DENMARK :
The super women of Denmark played their first International game against Netherlands in 1983. The women got qualified for both the 1993 and 1997 World Cups! They’ve been part of the European championship as well and have played 33 ODIs as well! They made a comeback after a long break in August’13 with them part of a tournament along with teams like Gibraltar, Estonia, Belgium and Italy. They finished runners up and later on also played a 20-over tournament in Berlin competing with 6 other teams. They still have a mark to make and are taking a step closer to reach their goals.
SWITZERLAND :
Who says freezing weather and snowfall intervenes with someone’s dreams? Where there’s a will there’s a way! Let’s know Switzerland beyond a place known for tourism and beauty. Zurich Sapphires Cricket Club was the first club devoted to the betterment of women’s cricket. In 2017, the women’s team of Switzerland travelled to Austria for 7-a-side 5 match series indicating that every little step matters and that dreams see no boundaries and consider obstacles only as a challenge to be faced and completed !
Pic Credits: Zurich Sapphires Cricket Club
BELGIUM :
Cricket in Belgium is growing and is being encouraged off late! Even though they haven’t qualified for any of the World Cups and played a European T20 only in 2013, they look like a promising team who are making sure that the cricket in their heart comes out on the field as well!
GIBRALTAR :
Even though a sport quite old in Gibraltar, it’s pleasing to see how women in the region are showing the love for the same! The girls and women’s programme in Gibraltar was rewarded with the best cricket initiative award by ICC in 2011. Since then the girls have been taking part in many domestic European tournaments and making each step towards their goal count!
We see, how the women have been giving it their all. It’s inspiring to see how these strong women have managed to take out the opportunities that a problem gets with them and make sure that every step matters. More than the destination, it’s always the journey that matters and the women have been giving it their all to make every step, every move count! A long way to go, they’ve surely made it clear that they aren’t taking the easy way and probably have nothing called “Give Up” in their dictionary !