The Slow Rise of Women Cricketers

by Bhavya Dore for Livemint

Read the full article: https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/sRee3clhlWQPusj9euv6mO/The-slow-rise-of-women-cricketers.htm

...Isabelle Duncan, who has played for multiple clubs and is a Marylebone Cricket Club member, was first asked to do some county games in 2013. Increased coverage meant increased opportunities for commentary, so off Duncan went. Still, in the early days there was a feeling “of proving yourself out there to the male world to some extent”.

But the box has generally been a welcoming place, and broadcasters like the BBC have been broad-minded and keen to get knowledgeable women on board. “Women’s cricket has come on so much in the last 10 years and that also needs to be represented in the media,” says Duncan. “You have women coming through and playing well and attracting a lot of attention and then you have more women in the media as well.”

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In a technical sense, are women commentators different from the men in any way? Women’s voices are generally pitched higher, and this is something they are conscious of, especially during the bursts of excitement that come with watching sports. “It can be a bit piercing for the listener,” says Duncan. “Other than that, there’s not much.”

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But social media backlash is inevitable, though the women are unperturbed. “I think it’s a modern world and if people can’t accept it then they aren’t going to survive in the world,” says Duncan. “Because the world is evolving and we are making our presence known.”