Meg Lanning calls for more mixed cricket to be played, insisting it is what gave her the edge

WOMEN’s cricket is forging a bold new path of its own but Meg Lanning hopes the next generation will still get to play against the boys. She explained to Robert Craddock how much of an edge it gave her own game.

WOMEN’s cricket is forging a bold new path of its own but Meg Lanning hopes the next generation will still get to play against the boys.

Super bat Lanning will parade her wares for the Australian side against New Zealand in a T20 match at Allan Border Field today after scoring 56 off 44 balls in the Southern Stars’ series opening win before 3000 fans at North Sydney Oval on Saturday night.

Figures released last week revealed six out of every 10 new cricket signings are female and there are now pathway and junior competitions which were not available when Lanning was surging through the system.

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Lanning honed her batting skills playing against boys in a primary school playground then more formally at Melbourne’s Carey Grammar school where, at age 14, she became the first female cricketer to win selection in an Associated Public Schools First XI.

She occasionally played with and against boys because of the absence of pathway systems which now allow females to play against each other.

Meg Lanning has called for more mixed cricket action in a bid to give Aussies the edge

And while grateful for the breakthrough, still feels there is plenty to be gained for the top women by occasionally playing against boys.

“I played a lot against the boys growing up,’’ Lanning said.

“It played a massive part in my career pathway. Just exposing me to different bowling.

“We played two-day cricket, which we don’t do much in the women’s game, and it had a really positive impact on where I am now.

“A lot of that came because there was not a girls’ pathway. Now there are pathways and all the girls competitions but I do think if there are opportunities to play against boys’ teams growing up, or even lower-grade men’s teams, we need to take that.

Rachel Haynes of Australia and captain Meg Lanning celebrate after winning the first match of the Women's Twenty20 (T20) Series between Australia and New Zealand

“It challenges you and exposed you to different things. It gave you an edge.

“You had to have a thick skin to cope with different scenarios and it got you out of your comfort zone, which may not happen as much these days if you are going through the female pathways.

“Even in Victoria we play practice games against under-15 and 16 boys’ teams and it is a great way of ex­posing us to a different way of cricket.’’

Scores are rising in the women’s game and Lanning believes professionalism is driving the sport to fresh heights.

“The scores are getting bigger,’’ she said. “In the last 12 months they have jumped ahead and I think they are a mixture of things.

“We have been full-time cricketers for a couple of years now and we are starting to see the benefits of fitness and strength.’’