Mark Robinson believes women's cricket is not set up to help young seamers flourish
"It's a bit of a Catch-22," says England head coach as spinners continue to be preferred by captains; Heather Knight insists "more cricket is needed for any of the players coming through"
Sunday 17 February 2019 14:00, UK
England head coach Mark Robinson feels the women's game is failing to help young fast bowlers prosper.
Seamers Tash Farrant and Beth Langston were recently both released from their central contracts, having struggled to gain opportunities with the international side.
With the growth of the women's game heavily reliant on white-ball cricket, Robinson believes captains are more inclined to bowl a spinner in an attempt to restrict scoring on flat tracks.
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"It is difficult trying to find seamers and I don't think the women's game domestically or internationally helps," he admitted.
"Every country is desperate for seamers but when you look around, there are not many because they don't bowl.
"You've got a young quick with half-a-yard (of pace) who gets hit and then gets whipped off for pace off the ball. It is a bit of a Catch-22.
"Ultimately the seamers need to bowl, but they don't bowl enough. They get taken off because it is easier to bowl a spinner."
During the Women's World T20 in the Caribbean in November, on tracks that Robinson had believed would suit Farrant's pace bowling, the 22-year-old was an unused squad member as England used seven bowlers - five of whom were spinners.
Over 65%, 61 of 93, of the overs England bowled during the tournament came from slower bowlers Kirstie Gordon, Heather Knight, Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone and Dani Hazell.
Robinson has seen the desire for captains to opt for slower bowlers trickle down throughout grassroots women's cricket.
"During School Games at Loughborough, on the last day for all the games we said they had to bowl seamers in the first six overs because the captains, and this was at the age of 16, would just bowl spin at the front.
"We had to make that rule that seamers had to bowl in the powerplay because they need to bowl and learn."
The English women's domestic game is set to be revamped in 2020 with 'The Hundred' due to begin and potential semi-professional T20 and 50-over competitions being introduced.
However, England captain Knight echoed Robinson's views that the lack of seamers currently being nurtured in the lower levels of the women's game is affecting the international game.
"You can bring in seam bowlers young but as Mark eluded to with pace on the ball, sometimes it gets hit," Knight said. "It is also about how we manage seamers.
"With the way the women's game is going now with T20 and ODIs, you need your seamers to have the skills of a good bumper, yorker etc.
"Players coming through the current system aren't going to have that straight away, so it is finding how to manage them, not throw them in too early and make sure you are trying to develop them all the time.
"More cricket is needed for any of the players coming through. We don't know what domestic cricket will look like in 2020 but it is likely to mean more cricket for the girls below and the girls coming through the system, which can only be a good thing."
Even with the concerns that waning opportunities are stifling the growth of fast bowlers, England handed young seam prospect Freya Davies a central contract.
The 23-year-old has played alongside Knight in the Kia Super League (KSL), the only domestic women's professional tournament in England, for Western Storm over the last three years.
Despite lining up beside England internationals Anya Shrubsole and Knight and Windies captain Stafanie Taylor, Davies finished as the team's leading wicket-taker last season, as Storm reach Finals Day at Hove.
Her impressive performances in the competition over the past three seasons caught the eye of both England's captain and head coach, who are now eager to give the Sussex bowler the opportunity to grow.
"Heather spoke highly of her from the Super League," Robinson explained. "She has had a couple of good seasons in the KSL on flat tracks in Taunton.
"Heather also spoke well about her taking responsibility for the team to bowl in the powerplay at the end.
"She had a delayed start due to her education in Exeter, so she had a first-year rookie contract in 2017 and she's grown.
"She's exciting, she can swing the ball and we need to give her more opportunity, more growth and a full-time contract will help that.
"She has bowled in pressure moments for the Storm and whether she can transfer that, who knows, but we're not expected to know that yet. We'll let her grow and have that chance now."
