It was a Glorious day for “Cricket with a cause” at Wormsley Cricket ground where The Sir Paul Getty Women’s XI played a T20 match against Fairbreak Global Women’s XI, on the Annual day for Gender Equality.
While members from 11 countries constituted the Fairbreak XI squad, The Sir Paul Getty XI also featured players from Ireland and Canada in their line-up’s.
The two teams lining up for today’s historic match with the #SirPaulGettyWomensXI taking on the @fairbreakglobal International XI here @wormsleycricket supported by @23_Capital pic.twitter.com/eTBTJizOvg
— Wormsley Cricket (@wormsleycricket) May 30, 2018
The initiative, started by Fairbreak Global and Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network, and sponsored by Twenty Three Capital, saw the day start with the Gender Equality summit taking place at the ground with Maila Reeves (Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network Council member), discussing the major issues in terms of equal pay and governance.
Hong Kong’s Mariko Hill along with India’s Akanksha Kohli and Fairbreak XI coach, Saba Nasim took part in the summit with much to discuss and learn from.
This morning we had @MailaReeves and the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network hosting a gender equality summit ahead of this afternoon's T20 match between the FairBreakXI and Sir Paul Getty XI at @wormsleycricket featuring players @MarikoHill @AKohli18 and coach @Sabanasim7 pic.twitter.com/sIpo8Pt60g
— FairBreak (@fairbreakglobal) May 30, 2018
The match itself was a spectacle with so many International Stars (Current and few Retiree’s) at the field for the historic match. Batting first, The Sir Paul Getty XI, which was fielding their first ever Women’s Team, scored 155/3 in their 20 overs with Canada’s Achini Perera (22 off 35) and Aran Brindle (33 off 35) providing the good start.
The real impetus came from Ireland’s Mary Waldron (43 n.o off 26) and Naomi Dattani (41 off 19) in the middle and end overs as they took the total past 150+, which was always going to be a difficult chase in the gloomy conditions overhead. Diviya GK from Singapore picked up 2/23, while Vanuatu’s Selina Solman picked up 1/28 for Fairbreak XI.
USA’s Nadia Gruny (33 off 34) started on a good note but Diviya GK got out in the 6th over, struggling to make 4 off 13 deliveries. The big moment came when Ireland’s Ciara Metcalfe bowled White Fern’s captain, Suzie Bates and the innings thereafter faltered with wickets falling at regular intervals. Australia’s Alex Blackwell did her best to keep the match alive with her gritty knock of 52 n.o off 32 deliveries, but without any meaningful partnership from the other end, Fairbreak ended up getting only 131 in their 20 overs and lost the match by 24 runs.
Achini Perera was the star with the ball for The Sir Paul Getty Women’s XI as she picked up 4/31 in her 3 overs to thwart any challenge coming from Fairbreak XI in the middle overs. Ex-England captain Charlotte Edwards, leading the side, also bowled couple of economical overs and New Zealand’s Lea Tuhuhu also delivered a sharp opening spell of 2 overs.
Women’s Cricket, the overall winner on a gloomy afternoon but with all that was achieved during the course of the day with the Summit, Player meet and greet sessions with Interviews during the match and presence of dignitaries which also included former England Men’s captain, Mike Getting in attendance at Wormsley Cricket Park, Fairbreak’s path-breaking initiative has turned a whopping success and more would be expected from them in the near future to grow Women’s Cricket across the world and also work on Key issues.
