Women's day out

Sujata Prakash

Kathryn Leng nurses an ambition few women would dare to; she hopes to find a berth in the England team when the Australians come over for the Ashes.

The 27-year-old made her senior international debut in 1992, and scored her maiden Test century in 1996 against New Zealand. She was also part of the England team for the World Cup in India in 1997, where they reached the semi-final. Disappointingly, Leng managed only 96 runs in 6 innings during the World Cup held in New Zealand.

Still, her present form is impressive enough for coach Kevin Sharp to say that it’s not inconceivable that she should find her way into the men's game, at the county cricket level, soon enough as she is 'a good all rounder'.

While there’s everything to be said for equality of the sexes, how far will the England and Wales Cricket Board go to showcase their triumph of literally ushering in 'fairer' play onto the field? If Leng is dreaming of a place in the national side, it must be because of indications that it is possible. And if one day we do see a woman facing Glen McGrath, or bowling to Sachin Tendulkar, then what are the ramifications of such a move?

Taking the pros first, it is obvious that such a move will do wonders for women’s cricket. While most of us will know who the captain of our own women’s team is, and how they performed in the last World Cup, we're hardly likely to delve further. We have no icons in women’s cricket like we do in the men's. But all that will change if one day we see, let's say, Rahul Dravid taking a cheeky single with Purnima Rao.

That is, of course, if England does take the plunge and add a Ms. to their team, and if, over time, other countries start emulating the example.

The cons, meanwhile, seem to be much more than the advantages of bringing in women's cricket into the limelight.

The first obvious peril is that it will start a round of complaints ranging from 'reverse discrimination' (what if there is some young, enterprising and promising player who feels he deserves the place more than the lady?) to having the norms of the dressing room changed (no more bare chests, stripping or cursing).

And what about the hugging and kissing that goes on amongst the fielders when a player is out? Boys, watch where you put those hands in future! Next thing you know, someone's being accused of sexual harassment. It really won't be cricket if we see the players behaving with restraint.

The most important aspect to consider is the physical stamina needed to take the relentless pressure of an international game. One cannot help but doubt if a woman could have the same stamina as a male.

All in all, it's a terrific idea to bring in women for the county games (or Ranji in India) and let them sharpen their skills against the men, but it's a moot point if they should venture out further.