Tuesday 25 July 2017 13:55, UK
"What a place! I'd like to play here...for England... in a World Cup final".
The were the words of Anya Shrubsole when she visited Lord's for the first time as a 10-year-old, revealed by her dad Ian in a Tweet ahead of the Women's World Cup final, and accompanied with photos of Anya leaning over the Lord's advertising boards, almost able to touch the hallowed turf.
Don't be surprised to hear similar remarks from the children in attendance at Sunday's final. Maybe even: "when I grow up, I want to be like Anya Shrubsole". And who wouldn't, following her match-winning spell of five wickets in 19 balls as England clinched a most dramatic of victories.
When the winning wicket came, that of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shrubsole flung her arms out wide and looked to the heavens. Taken aback by the feeling of becoming champions - as you probably would after coming from behind to win a World Cup on home soil - Shrubsole's team-mates hesitated for a split second prior to rushing over and embracing her.
They couldn't believe it. Neither could the crowd. For Shrubsole took this rollercoaster of a match on one final head-spinning twist, as she tore through an Indian side on course to make history and lift their first piece of silverware. The consequences were huge, so too the pressure.
How do you deal with a match when so much more is riding on it than just a trophy? How do you cope with the pressure of knowing your performance on this single occasion will have ramifications for the next generation? How do you manage when you're constantly told your upcoming match is the 'biggest of your life'?
For female international cricketers, it's all they've ever known. With each new tournament anticipation and expectation levels grow, in terms of the game's influence off the pitch as well as the displays on it. Victory is good but context is king.
Then there is the obligation to give back, an automatic reflex by the players. They have grown up with no intention of making a professional career; they did it for the joy of participating. Yet that duty to promote is ingrained, even the first part-time England contracts were developed as part of ambassadorial roles through the Chance to Shine coaching scheme.
So when England defeated South Africa at Bristol in the semi-finals, instead of rejoicing late into the evening in their dressing room, the hosts fulfilled all media duties and went back out to sign autographs. They didn't stop until called by head coach Mark Robinson to board the bus to leave.
However, there really was more to this World Cup final. There's no escaping it. How could there not be when the sport is now moving towards adulthood? As with all teenagers, every little moment makes a lasting impression. For both sides, victory at Lord's would at a minimum prove groundbreaking for the game in their country.
Here in England it is already having an effect.
Travelling to Lord's on the Jubilee Line ahead of the game, the carriage was packed with parents taking their children to St John's Wood, more girls en route to watch a match at the Home of Cricket than ever before.
Then, wandering past the Nursery Ground upon arrival, two elderly ladies discussed their excitement, one admitting to being unable to sleep properly the night before due to nerves.
This match crosses generations. It warms the heart of those that came before it and provides hope of a better future to those that are yet to play. And it is that latter point that the governing bodies must work hardest at now.
Never in the history of women's cricket have they possessed such a great opportunity to expand the game. This is the moment to capitalise on all the hard work done by players and administrators to reach this point.
Many talk about inspiring the next generation, but you need only look at the make up of the crowds throughout the tournament, where 31 per cent were children, to understand the youth have been engaged. It is now about continuing that movement, keeping their interest, and ensuring pathways are available for them to participate.
It's also about establishing domestic routes that prepare players as much as possible for the international stage. Currently there is a gulf, especially in the UK, when it comes to 50-over cricket, which needs rectifying. The T20 leagues in Australia and England have gone some way to improving the situation, but much is still possible.
India captain Mithali Raj said as much in her post-match press conference, calling for further opportunities back home to ensure her team are able to maintain their impressive progression.
If there are to be future generations producing thrilling encounters like this, then the decisions to make that happen must occur in the present. After all, this is being talked about as a seminal time in the game, so let's all be more like Anya Shrubsole. Let's be game-changers.
