Women’s T20 WC: The Women's Game Is A Standalone Thing And Is Growing, Says Ian Bishop

Women’s T20 WC: The womens game is a standalone thing and is growing, says Ian Bishop (Image Source: IANS)

Former West Indies: Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop firmly believes that women’s cricket has now established itself as a standalone product capable of drawing massive crowds despite competing with major global sporting events.

Bishop's observations come at a historic juncture for the tournament which has been competing for attention alongside the FIFA World Cup, men's Test series against New Zealand, and Wimbledon. The group stage attendance record at an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup group stage match was broken for the second time in 24 hours, as a total of 27,163 fans were in attendance at Lord's for India-Australia Group A game.

That tally went past the total of 21,018 recorded in the match between England and New Zealand at The Oval. The attendance on the final day of the group stage comes on the back of the tournament crossing the 125,000 mark in on-ground attendance, making it the highest-selling ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in history.

"The women's game is a standalone thing. I think we've talked about that for a couple of years now. Even just as the pandemic started, it has grown where my little girl, just as an example close to me, now loves the game. She wants to play cricket every day. She's a teenager. She never used to play. She wasn't interested.

“Now at school, she wants to play every cricket game every day of the week and I'm sure that is reflected across other nations. I have been to a lot more age group games in Trinidad in the last couple of years because of my daughter, and I have seen the love and passion for the game.

“So the gospel has been spreading more and more, and that is reflected also in the attendance. I still think that there's a lot going on - football World Cup, Test series with the men, Wimbledon starting, and that the numbers could have been better otherwise. So I think the women's game is growing," Bishop, an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup expert, told IANS on JioStar's Media Day on Monday.

Questioned about the tournament being heavily batting-friendly with five 200-plus scores recorded and batting records broken, Bishop credited the evolution of the game and the pitches maintained by ground staff members, despite a heatwave coming in the later phase of the competition.

"I think batting form is proven. What's the example that I can use? Obviously, England have been, with Australia, the two of the highest scoring teams in the tournament. It's no surprise that they are two out of four in the semi-finals, as it stands. If I may take the team from the region where I emanate the West Indies, and some of their struggles from a batting perspective have been critical to their faltering in the last couple of matches that they've played.

"The dominant forces have been Australia and England, who have scored runs, but who also have bowling lineups that are able to hold their own against most other competitors. Maybe in a semi-final clash or final clash, it could come down to that, because they both bat deep, England and Australia.

“South Africa, when they have been good? We saw Marizanne Kapp with that match-winning innings. But in addition to that, they've got good variety in their bowling. So the top teams in the world now, as in any facet of T20 cricket, you more or less have to have a dynamic batting team," he explained.

Bishop expanded on the technical aspects driving these big totals, adding that lower-ranked sides are being left behind in power-hitting and that modern bowlers must adapt now. "I just think the evolution of the game. The evolution of the game where the women with each passing World Cup, the better teams are being more dynamic and you find the lower-ranked teams are getting left. It's a similar story, have been left behind with regards to the power in their batting – Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We've had some really good batting conditions as well.

"I think the grounds staffs and the grounds where we've played, these are some kudos for leaving enough grass on the pitch for the ball to come on. The ball hasn't ragged square on too many of the pitches. But I think it's the evolution and the advancement of the women's game. This is where bowlers now have to catch up.

“One of the big things that I feel going forward is that we have to give more autonomy to organizations to find some more fast bowling and seam bowling options in the women's game. I think the women's game has got to a point now where it stands on its own.

“But I want to see more fast bowling, seam bowling options come through because we have a lot of spin. That's a good thing, but we need to put a search on to get some more dynamic fast bowling. We know Shabnam Ismail has been excellent in the past, one or two of the Australians," he elaborated.

When asked to evaluate the performances of teams that came through the qualifiers like Scotland, the Netherlands, and Ireland, Bishop lauded their spirit while calling for greater administrative focus and professionalization. "I love the Netherlands, for example. I love what Babette de Leede has brought and Sterre Kallis being the two players that have been very professional in their lineup.

“I think they've won a lot of plaudits because so many of the other players have lives outside of the game and are very, are not professionals, they're amateurs with careers, with university degrees and qualifications. I love the energy that they brought, but you saw the shortcomings where some of their fielding. Bowling under pressure against the better teams is still a work in progress.

“I love what Darcey Carter of Scotland brought and for Netherlands, Iris Zwilling is another one that I can put my hand up. I love the way she bowled in the final game, hitting her lengths and her lines. Katherine Fraser is another one from Scotland and so I really have enjoyed, even with Ireland, but we've known about Ireland for a while, right? We've known about Orla Prendergast and Amy Hunter for a while, but they showed and they reminded us, and not forget that match against the West Indies some time ago, that they have quality," he detailed.

Bishop further stressed that closing the gap between top-tier sides and developing nations requires structured exposure and dedicated governing arms for the women's game. "If we give them more exposure, and of course Ireland is a full member nation, and not an associate nation as such, they've shown us hope. I love the Netherlands and I hope the Netherlands get more help.

“I hope that they find another coach who is able to take them to another level. I hope they get to professionalise the game. I hope that Scotland will see much more of what they can bring, because I'm big on having the lower-ranked nations elevate themselves, because they bring a lot to the game.

“Where we see them falling short is only because they have not had the opportunity to play against more high-level competition, to play professionally and rub shoulders apart from a few players with the other great players in the game. If we can get the balance of that, we will see much more of a challenging situation from these teams.

“I hope that they find another coach who is able to take them to another level. I hope they get to professionalise the game. I hope that Scotland will see much more of what they can bring, because I'm big on having the lower-ranked nations elevate themselves, because they bring a lot to the game.

“Give them autonomy so that they have all the attention at the local, territorial, country boards, and maybe at the top governing body, to pour more into the women's game, and it will get even better. So that would be my cry from here on. A lot of work has gone into that, but I still want to see more," Bishop concluded.

Article Source: IANS