Cricket team-mates - Lydia Greenway: Sarah Taylor made things look so easy
Isa Guha's FOMO and why it can be tough rooming with Katherine Brunt - and listening to her music!
Tuesday 23 June 2020 12:09, UK
In the latest of our series asking the Sky Cricket experts to lift the lid on their former team-mates, LYDIA GREENWAY discusses Sarah Taylor's talent, Isa Guha's FOMO, why it's tough rooming with Katherine Brunt and Charlotte Edwards' views on a big night out...
Most talented?
Sarah Taylor. I remember seeing Sarah bat for the first time during a county game for Kent playing against Sussex. She was still a teenager and made it look so easy. It turned out she was also pretty handy behind the stumps! Sarah did some ridiculous things and she was the one wicketkeeper where at times you felt more threatened by her than the bowler at the other end.
Most superstitious?
Charlotte Edwards. During the 2009 World Cup we got on a bit of a winning streak and there were certain things she apparently had to do every day to keep us winning. One was having the same breakfast every single day, it was something like Weetabix and this muesli that you get in Australia. Not the most inspiring of breakfasts but I'm sure she still thinks it was instrumental in us winning the World Cup!
Hardest worker?
Without a doubt Beth Morgan. There's people who are first to arrive and last to leave training - and then there's Beth. First and last with a gym session either side. She epitomised the phrase 'leave no stone unturned', but she was also the first to help her team-mates. Whether it was extra throw-downs if you'd just had a poor net or taking the mitt for a bowler who was trying to find some rhythm. Beth is someone you can always rely on and that transfers to off the pitch as well - she is a great friend.
Most under-rated?
Again, I would say Beth Morgan. Her retirement was a quiet affair which was a shame, she struggled with some really bad shoulder injuries which meant she was forced to retire sooner than she or the team wanted. At her peak, she was so consistent and reliable in the middle order. She has given the game so much on so many different levels, especially at her county Middlesex where she has played such a huge role in supporting the development of a lot of the younger players coming through.
Best fielder?
Former New Zealand player Sara McGlashan. We played a lot against each other over the years but also had a season playing together for the Southern Vipers in the Kia Super League. She was a natural athlete which made her a brilliant diver and catcher of the ball, but what caught most batters out was her speed. It was ridiculous - her quickness across the ground in the inner ring to create run outs was something I always enjoyed watching, and what made her even quicker was her ability to anticipate and be on the move even before the batter had made contact with the ball. I think that's a skill we can sometimes forget to teach younger players.
Best at other sports?
We've always had quite a sporty bunch over the years. Jenny Gunn, Beth Morgan and Fran Wilson were the best football players, but in terms of level, Susie Rowe was a brilliant hockey player - she played in some of the England age groups and has consistently played National League hockey. I was fortunate to play a bit of social hockey with her and saw first-hand just how good she was. I also shouldn't forget to mention Laura Marsh who likes to remind us that she was U13 National Champion in the javelin!
Best dancer?
Nat Sciver and Isa Guha are the best, two people you don't want to be next to on the dance floor - especially if you're a terrible dancer like me.
Worst dancer?
It would have to be Charlotte Edwards. For someone who timed the ball as well as anyone with the bat, it's hard to understand how she can have such a lack of rhythm!
Best taste in music?
Isa has introduced me to a lot of music over the years, and I remember thinking some of it was awful but in actual fact she was ahead of the times with a lot of it. I remember her introducing me to a lot of indie-rock music, including Kings of Leon, who are now one of my favourite bands.
Worst taste in music?
Katherine Brunt or Jenny Gunn. They both seem to like some really hardcore stuff which as much as I tried I just couldn't really appreciate. If you want to see what I mean have a listen to a song called Du Hast by Rammstein. There was one particular tour when Katherine was playing it through the team speaker constantly - most of us ended up with whiplash after all the head banging to it.
Best to room with?
I've enjoyed sharing with a lot of team-mates over the years, regulars were Isa Guha, Jenny Gunn and Beth Morgan. We all lived together in the early years whilst playing a couple of seasons over in Sydney. We had a brilliant time although there were probably one too many house parties for a group of 'athletes' who were out there to be playing sport! More recently Laura Marsh and I have lived together for a number of years. We know each other pretty well so she would have to be up there with the best as well.
Worst to room with?
Katherine Brunt. We are actually very good friends but our sleeping patterns were polar opposite! I'm a bit of a granny and like to hit the sack early whereas Katherine will quite happily stay up until the early hours.
Life of the party?
Isa is one of those people who gets a massive sense of 'FOMO' (Fear of missing out). If a group of us were watching paint dry and she wasn't there she would still be annoyed that she was missing out. She's always up for a night out and loves catching up with people, as does Heather Knight. They are both great fun to be around - especially on hen nights in Vegas. Charlotte Edwards has got to be up there, too. She's not the sort of person to just go out, if she's going out, then she's going 'out, out' which isn't often but it's always memorable!
Coaching material?
Beth and Charlotte. Coaching is a job where you have to go above and beyond what is expected of you, aside from knowing the game inside out. Both Lottie and Beth would be brilliant.
Most intelligent?
Heather Knight and Anya Shrubsole. Anya's got a very logical brain and also a crazy capacity to retain information to the extent that she could probably reel off all the football results. Heather turned down a place at Oxbridge, which says it all really. In the early days, our former batter Claire Taylor was certainly the most intelligent. She was the sort of person where you would learn something new every time you had a conversation with her.
Who would you pick to be stuck with on a desert island?
Laura Marsh. We lived together for a number of years, first in London in a tiny flat for about four years and then we moved up to Loughborough. We've always got on so well. She's also very practical and likes to watch a lot of Grand Designs so I'd feel pretty confident she'd be able to build us a decent type of shelter.
