Since the Aussies retained the Ashes two games ago, there was nothing to play for, during the last two one-day internationals, except pride (and the opportunity to nail down a place in the team for the forthcoming World Cup in New Zealand). So God only knows why England, having won the toss and decided to bat, treated yesterday’s game like a net session, scoring at little over two runs an over. That’s not enough to win any game, least of all against a very good Australian side. With the England women looking like they didn’t even want to compete, the result was never in doubt, which made a 50-over game a rather dull watch (it certainly didn’t keep me awake).
Nevertheless, according to the Women’s Sport Trust, women’s sport has bucked the trend of declining TV viewing hours and amassed a total audience of almost 32.9 million people last year, with football and cricket the biggest beneficiaries. The figures show that there really is an appetite for women’s sport, and that’s very good news. I just hope the England team don’t get caught up with all the hype. They came off second-best to the Aussies in every aspect of the game: batting, bowling, fielding and catching. More practice needed, I reckon, and a more dynamic approach to the game.
Licenced today: the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon…
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