Is that a girl?

Some of the things I experienced in cricket growing up.

Bowlers bowling slower at me because I’m a girl.

Fielding on the boundary in whites and the opposition boys saying nice ass and pants. I was wearing white underwear. Now I wear shorts underneath and I’ll still check what it looks like before I go outside.

On getting a wicket hearing “I can’t believe you got out to a girl”.

Turning up to an away game knowing every previous time I got stared at when I arrived being the only girl. And hearing whispers of “is that a girl?”. 

Getting changed in the same changing room as the boys and men. Waiting til last and being last on the pitch every time.

Been given oversized clothes and kit designed for men.

Some of the stuff bothered me, yet some of it didn’t. I mostly just got on with it. I never challenged it. It did not cross my mind that I may have had a voice in cricket. I felt I was somehow less simply because I was a girl.

So now, when I get given inappropriate fitting clothes I’ll challenge it. When I get any comments about the fact I’m female, I’ll challenge it. And please, bowl as fast as you can at me.