History-making women’s cricketer Sarah Taylor proves she’s up to level on men’s A grade debut
HISTORY-MAKING English wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor finished her first day in men’s A grade cricket with high praise from club officials, ice on a strained hip flexor and a dropped catch to her name.
NORTHERN Districts hopes Sarah Taylor’s history-making debut in its men’s A grade will attract more girls to the club and lead to closer links between its men’s and women’s teams.
The English wicketkeeper became the first woman to play a men’s two-day A grade cricket match in Australia when she lined up for the Jets against Port Adelaide at Salisbury Oval on Saturday.
Her trailblazing feat in the 118-year-old Grade competition made headlines in the UK and has boosted the profile of women’s cricket.
Jets cricket director Sean Watt said Taylor was a terrific role model.
“We’re trying to attract the best cricketers to the club and, as a consequence of the media attention, she could also open doors for our own players who might be looking to play men’s cricket,” Watt said.
“It’s also an advocate for the one-club discussion so we can move things (men’s and women’s teams) closer together.”
Taylor, who has played eight Tests, 98 One-Day Internationals and 73 Twenty20s for England, was back at Salisbury Oval on Sunday to watch the Jets’ women’s A grade play West Torrens.
“She’s really been great for the club,” Watt said.
Taylor, 26, was clean behind the stumps on Saturday, except for one dropped catch.
She kept up to the stumps to medium-pacers Mark Cosgrove and Mitch Thomas, was tidy when off-spinner Trent Goers was bowling and took a couple of throws from the boundary acrobatically with one hand.
Her glovework was so exemplary, onlookers would not have been able to tell she was a girl — if not for noticing her flowing blonde locks poking out the back of her Jets cap.
Taylor finished the day with ice on an aggravated hip flexor — sustained while stretching for a half-chance between her and first slip — and was pleased with her performance.
“I was happy with the way my legs were moving and I kept all right, just obviously the chance went down,” Taylor said.
“For the majority of the game I was really clean and in good positions.
“I’ve learnt a lot from it.”
Taylor said her teammates rallied around her after the dropped catch.
“Skip (Mark Cosgrove) made a joke about it.
“I had a moment to myself but then they were straight in, trying to get me smiling, which was good.
“They were like ‘next one, don’t worry about it, we all drop them’.”
Not only did Taylor show she was up to the level, she quashed any concerns there were about a woman entering a male bastion.
She high-fived teammates between overs, joked with teammates at the tea break and fit in as “one of the lads”.
“They took the mick out of me when it was deserved and I took the mick out of them. They were absolutely brilliant.”
Taylor, the reigning Women’s One-Day International Cricketer of the Year and a member of the SA Scorpions, was overwhelmed by the support she received.
“I don’t think I realised the enormity of what I was doing.”
Port Adelaide was 3/227 at stumps.
Taylor will bat at eight if required on Saturday.
She batted in the nets at Jets training last Thursday night and faced their best bowlers.
The training session was Taylor’s first night at the club and coincided with its season launch.
“My first ball (batting), everyone went silent,” Taylor said.
“All eyes were on me.
“It was good and I got what I needed to from the batting side of things, and it was just nice to meet everyone.”
As for whether Taylor got involved in any sledging between Jets and Port players?
“A few words were flowing ... but I stayed out of it.”
Jets chairman Pat Cosgrove said Taylor looked did not look out of place, performed well and looked in control.