Reclaiming the game

Clare Connor is managing director of women’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board. Here the former Sussex and England player explains why there has never been a better time to be a woman in the sport

- Jeremy Blackmore

Growing up playing cricket in Sussex, Clare Connor could not even aspire to play professional cricket for her country.

Such was the lack of exposure for women’s cricket then that the future Sussex and England captain did not even know a national team existed. As a cricket-mad teenager, she instead played happily with boys and men in the Sussex leagues and at school.

Now, as managing director of women’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Clare has developed a £20m programme to transform women’s and girls’ cricket. Called Inspiring Generations, it builds on England’s World Cup triumph in 2017, and sets out to create a pathway for young girls playing the game for the first time all the way through to the international stage.

“Cricket has been an integral part of my life,” she says. “I have never been more excited by the opportunity in front of us right now.”

Clare’s cricketing journey started at her father’s club Preston Nomads, whose picturesque Spen Cama Memorial Ground boasts spectacular views of Devil’s Dyke and the South Downs. There were, though, no girls’ teams, so the only options available were to join boys’ sides. It was the same situation at school, Brighton College, where she opened the batting.

“I didn’t come across any other girls. It’s almost as if I should look back and feel like it was a very odd set of experiences. But I was really lucky in that I had unconditional support from family, teachers and people around me and the support and friendship of the boys I played with. So I don’t recall at the time feeling like an odd bod.”

In other sports – netball, hockey and squash – Clare participated in girls’ teams. Cricket remained the exception.