Kate praises influence of her former captain...
Tuesday 14 June 2016 13:41, UK
After Charlotte Edwards' retirement, the England Women's seamer looks at the legacy her former captain has left...
I guess the news of Lottie's retirement has had some time to sink in now, but it certainly doesn't make fathoming what the world of international women's cricket will be like without her any more straightforward.
A lot of people have asked me since the announcement if the news had come as a shock.... Of course it did! I think we all thought she would play until she literally had to be carried off!
Lottie sent us an email on the Tuesday evening before the press conference the following day, and I remember reading it and having tears in my eyes.
We had England training on the Wednesday morning and it was certainly a lot quieter not having Lot around - she has always been one of our big dressing-room characters, always loud and bubbly and that is something which is going to be sorely missed.
Growing up, I didn't know much about women's cricket. My role model was Andrew Flintoff purely because I had seen him on TV - he was a Lancastrian and he was a fast bowler. To be honest, I wouldn't have been able to name you many of the women's team, other than Charlotte Edwards.
From spending £50 to buy her first England blazer way back when, to signing one of the first women's professional contracts in 2014, she has certainly seen the game develop and enter realms which we never believed could exist. A lot of that progress comes down to her and the time she has offered to the game we all love. It's something she can be very proud of.
Not only has she influenced so many young girls, through Chance to Shine, to play a game which has previously been recognised as a "gentlemen's game" but also while doing it, she has broken numerous records. Let's start with this stat: she has scored more runs than any man or woman in the world in T20 internationals. Let that sink in for a moment.
Not only has she bossed it on the pitch as a batsman, but for a lot of it, she has captained our ship, too. I was lucky enough to be there to witness her 200th game in charge, which again is just an incredible statistic. Her records make for some pretty incredible reading, but I know she will be more pleased with her contribution off the pitch and how healthy the women's game now is.
Dreams, Debuts & Dinner
As a youngster breaking into the England set up, it was always an ambition to be playing in the same team as Charlotte. You certainly wanted to avoid playing against her anyway, even more so as a bowler! I have been lucky to receive my T20I, my ODI and my Test caps all under her captaincy.
Not only have I had the opportunity to play with and against Lottie, I have also had an opportunity which I never thought I would have, and that was to be out in the middle with her when she scored one of her many, many hundreds for England.
I'll set the scene. It was a bitterly cold day in Scarborough and we were playing against India in an ODI. We had just lost our ninth wicket and I strolled out to the crease as No 11 to meet Lottie.
She looked a little bit panicked and she said to me "Crossy, there is one ball left in this over, you are on strike. I don't care what you do, or how you do it, but do not get out". I wasn't sure why she was so concerned but I assured her I was fine... "Crossy, I mean it, stop this ball and I'll buy you dinner tonight."
My ears pricked up but again I wasn't too sure why she was so nervy, I think there were about six or so overs left. Anyway, the ball was bowled, I got my big forward defence out, prodded the ball back to the bowler and started to think about what I was going to have for dinner that night.
I headed into the middle of the wicket for a chat with Lot and it wasn't until I looked up at the scoreboard that I saw she was 99 not out! Whoops, now I understood! Needless to say, the first ball of the next over she cracked out to the cover boundary and was celebrating her ninth ton in ODI cricket and I got to be there to congratulate her for it - a moment I will never forget.
By the way, she never bought me that dinner!
Thank you Lottie
It is going to be a strange dressing room this summer without Lot - she is all we have known for a long time. However, it is going to be an exciting time for the team to learn a new way of cricket and start the next era of the women's game.
The younger players in the dressing room now have an opportunity to try and fill Lottie's big boots and that is a challenge which everyone is very much looking forward to. We know she will support us and won't ever be too far away from us.
On a final personal note, I just want to say congratulations to Lottie on such a special career. Her contribution to the women's game has been immeasurable and I'm sure it won't stop here. I think it is testament to Lot too that she has done it all with a huge smile on her face.
So thank you Lottie for everything that you have done for this wonderful game and good luck for the next chapter.
