University of Chichester student Sarah Fogwill has been chosen for the England Women’s team for the 2011 Indoor Cricket World Cup.The tournament will be held in South Africa between 9-15 October, with Australia the defending champions, and Sarah will be one of eight in the England squad who will take part in the competition.
Sarah, who is studying to be a PE teacher, only started playing indoor cricket last year after being asked to play in a league game by a friend because they were short of players. Sarah plays outdoor cricket for Hampshire, and found that her strengths could be easily transferred to the indoor game, which she now enjoys playing at club level for Portsmouth.
Indoor cricket is a shorter version of the game, eight players on each side and matches consisting of two innings of 16 overs each. All players are required to bowl as well as bat, meaning both sets of skills need to be of high quality. Rather than the obvious difference that the game is played indoors, other differences are that it is played on specifically designed courts covered in an artificial surface and enclosed by tight string netting, and bonus runs are scored by hitting the ball in certain areas of the netting.
Describing how these differences affect the play of the game, Sarah said: “As the playing area is tiny compared to an outside pitch, players need to be fearless in the field and whilst batting. Although there are many comparisons, indoor cricket requires quicker reactions, team work and more risks than outdoor cricket. The only protective gear used is gloves for batting, and although the ball is light, it is still lethal!”
Sarah is now focused on preparing herself for the tournament, combining it with her studies. She said:
“The tutors have been excellent; they are always there if I need them and are keen to help me get to the World Cup even though it is during term time. When on teaching placement, I was placed near home where I could train and still play my cricket.”
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