Cricket has been a part of my life since I was a young girl. I grew up playing lots of sport and for a while was splitting my time between football and cricket.听Thankfully听cricket won out in the end! I started playing club cricket and came through the Staffordshire pathway, making my senior debut as a teenager and learning quickly what it takes to keep improving in a competitive environment.听
鈥I made my England debut in 2010 and since then the game has taken me听places听I never could have imagined.听I鈥檝e听represented England across all formats in so many matches and been lucky to be part of some incredible tours and big tournament moments.听I鈥檝e听always loved the challenge of stepping into those high-pressure situations and trying to change the momentum of a game.听I鈥檝e听now passed 300 international appearances but no matter how many times you do it, pulling on an England shirt still means everything,听it鈥檚听always an honour and never something I take for granted.听
Domestic cricket and franchise cricket have been a huge part of my journey too. Playing in The Hundred has been a real marker of how the women鈥檚 game is growing and听I鈥檓听proud to now be playing for Surrey as we keep building visibility for women鈥檚 cricket.听
More recently, becoming a mum has brought a whole new perspective and motivation, and another England fan into the fold! With a home Women鈥檚 T20 World Cup coming up, it feels like a special moment for the sport and听I鈥檓听excited to be part of it.听
鈥If听you鈥檙e听thinking about getting involved,听I鈥檇听say听don鈥檛听wait until you feel 鈥渞eady鈥,听there鈥檚 ways to get involved in whatever way suits you. Try a session, go to a match,听help out听at your club, do a course because you never know what those small steps could turn into.听