It’s That Day

India will face England in the Women’s World Cup final at Lord’s today. Ever since Team India’s spectacular win over Australia on Thursday, there has been a spike in interest. At a neighbourhood tea stall in Calcutta, one elder was overheard telling fellow members of the morning Laughing Club:
“Harmanpreet Kaur’s style reminds me of Shikhar Dhawan’s off-drive.” No one was laughing. India captain Mithali Raj has promised it is not going to be easy for England. Something to look forward to.

Another July

The history of women’s cricket does not have too many serious chroniclers. Isabelle Duncan’s 2013 book Skirting the Boundary: A History of Women’s Cricket is an exception. She describes a 1344 illustration that shows nuns holding what resembles rudimentary forms of a bat and a ball. The first recorded women’s match dates to July 1745. The report from the Reading Mercury reads: “The girls bowled, batted, ran and catched as well as most men could (sic).”

Fun And Games

In the 18th century, village cricket flourished in England. Games were labelled “Married v Single” or “Married v Maiden”. Prizes were gloves, lace, hats, plum cakes, a barrel of ale. Sometimes there was an after-ball (like after-party). Romances bloomed on field even then. Duncan mentions the Duke of Hamilton who fell in love with an Elizabeth Ann Burrell after watching her play. Cricketer Miss Lucy Ridsdale married Stanley Baldwin, the Britain PM in the 1920s. Lady Baldwin wrote in a letter: “The crack of bat against ball... is still to me the note of pure joy.”

Tooth And Nail

The ladies were serious about the game, for the game. In a bid to bowl despite the hoop skirt, a Christina Wiles came up with the round-arm action. It passed into the book of cricketing rules, and the credit to her brother, John. In 1897, someone designed a light ball. But it was pretty blue and kept getting lost in the grass and again-st the sky! In 1930, the first professional cricket teams were formed. Players didn’t use their real names, were always chaperoned, and tours were “not allowed”. The Women’s Cricket Association of India was formed in 1973. Two years later, the first touring team — Australia — came to India. Shanta Rangaswamy shone. So did Fowzieh Khalili. Diana Eduljee dazzled all with her left-arm spin but lost four front teeth.

Upala Sen