Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

[gbatman]

Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Cricket is a game where physical fitness, strength, speed etc are not a great factor. With more and more women playing cricket, could it be possible to get one that is good enough to make it with the men?

If she was good enough would she be able to play international/state/county cricket?

If it happened i would imagine she would probably be a spin bowler as the physical advantage men have give them the edge in pace bowling and even batting.

My answer is very unlikely but not impossible.

 

[Binky]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Not a good idea, would want a relationship to start between the players would you?

 

[Kram81]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Well.. the Test player that scored the record 400 no was once bowled by a girl

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Not a good idea, would want a relationship to start between the players would you?

Eh?

Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Cricket is a game where physical fitness, strength, speed etc are not a great factor. With more and more women playing cricket, could it be possible to get one that is good enough to make it with the men?

If she was good enough would she be able to play international/state/county cricket?

If it happened i would imagine she would probably be a spin bowler as the physical advantage men have give them the edge in pace bowling and even batting.

My answer is very unlikely but not impossible.

There is no real reason why a female couldn't break into the top level of the game, apart from the obvious ones such as rules etc

Whilst they may lack power, which would largely stop a female from becoming a fast bowler (in the mode of Lee, Donald etc) there is little to stop anyone becoming a very good bat or indeed spin bowler.

Bats have more rebound these days and any way a good batsman can get away without scoring 6's every other ball (well, in tests anyway) and timing is just as important in any case. Spin bowling relies on accuracy as much as anything else and there is nothing which stops female players being just as technically competent as their male counterparts.

The question is not whether they would be able to, as it'd clear that stand out players could hold their own (after a period of adjustment of course, simply because they would have little experience of facing the faster bowlers), but more one of would they want to?

The women's game is slowly picking up a following and the money is starting to increase (albeit slowly). Why take the risk?

 

[macca]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Bill O Reilly was always going to write a novel about a woman spinner that ends up playing for Australia but I dont think he ever got around to it.

Perhaps it was just a joke and he was having a go at the spinners who were around in the 1970,s.

 

[cold case]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Bill O Reilly was always going to write a novel about a woman spinner that ends up playing for Australia but I dont think he ever got around to it.

Perhaps it was just a joke and he was having a go at the spinners who were around in the 1970,s.

I have played 250 games of top local cricket plus District cricket and I am here to upset the apple cart without being too chauvenistic and state that NO women whatsoever could play Test,state or district cricket.Maybe the best women of all time could fluke a game at top local standard but only as a batswomen!They face slow powderpuffs that a 3rds grade cricketer would savour and the first decent headhunting over you bowl would be the end of their career.This is definately not to downgrade any women playing cricket but just being fairdinkum.
Like how would a mens shower screen cleaning team go?

 

[mas cambios]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Wow, I didn't realise that sexism was so rife in Australia.

So far, no-one has really given a valid argument against, apart from that of power.

 

[Boris]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

top fast bowlers in womens cricket are about 120-130 km/h are they not? there are bowlers of that speed in mens cricket. there is not reason they could not be a pace bowler either.
i say yes they could. there are some bloody good women cricketers out there that are held back by themselves and everyone else. as a bowler, most likely a spinner, they wouldnt have to bat that high in the order, and someone like lisa sthalekar could bat better then a lot of no.10 or 11s world wide while still bowling, even if facing faster speeds, which i am pretty sure they do in training anyway.
i think it is quite possible for it to happen, and i like watching womens cricket as much as mens so i dont really have an objection.
the only problem though is the male/female thing. a male cricketer would not be allowed to play womens cricket, so why should a female cricketer be allowed to play mens cricket. you would be pretty much saying that mens cricket is far superior to womens in that women could be selected to go that step higher. i believe the australian womens team is better then the mens anyway.

 

[cold case]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Wow, I didn't realise that sexism was so rife in Australia.

So far, no-one has really given a valid argument against, apart from that of power.

Why is that sexism and what is a valid arguement?The end bit was in jest.
Give me one arguement why women could play elite cricket and since crickets' inception there has never been one to play either test,state,district or sub district.And please take your good guy hat off.

 

[Boris]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Why is that sexism and what is a valid arguement?The end bit was in jest.
Give me one arguement why women could play elite cricket and since crickets' inception there has never been one to play either test,state,district or sub district.And please take your good guy hat off.

my last post shows why, because they have there own competitions. they cant play mens and men cant play womens. i thought the question was more 'if it were possible would they be of high enough skill level'. and i think some would.

 

[DoubleO7]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Ah, no!

The game is played at a faster rate which women would find it rather hard to get accustomed to.

 

[cold case]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

top fast bowlers in womens cricket are about 120-130 km/h are they not? there are bowlers of that speed in mens cricket. there is not reason they could not be a pace bowler either.
i say yes they could. there are some bloody good women cricketers out there that are held back by themselves and everyone else. as a bowler, most likely a spinner, they wouldnt have to bat that high in the order, and someone like lisa sthalekar could bat better then a lot of no.10 or 11s world wide while still bowling, even if facing faster speeds, which i am pretty sure they do in training anyway.
i think it is quite possible for it to happen, and i like watching womens cricket as much as mens so i dont really have an objection.
the only problem though is the male/female thing. a male cricketer would not be allowed to play womens cricket, so why should a female cricketer be allowed to play mens cricket. you would be pretty much saying that mens cricket is far superior to womens in that women could be selected to go that step higher. i believe the australian womens team is better then the mens anyway.

F@#$K me foley!You have got to be just taking the piss or kidding yourself.Women are the best things on this earth but no women cricketer in this word is near good enough to play elite cricket.
I think I will totter off back to my own site where they talk crap but no where near as much as this one!

 

[Boris]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

there are plenty good enough to play elite cricket. that is womens elite cricket. elite does not only refer to mens cricket only. that is just sexist in saying that men are superior to women in that mens cricket is much better then womens. cricket is a fairly non-discriminatory game, if you were to put a woman rugby league player in a mens team she would most likely get smashed because of the size difference, nothing sexist there as i said most likely. in cricket size or body shape doesnt matter. a female cricket may not have the power to bowl at 150 km/h hour, but neither do most male cricketers. i am sure there are a couple that could cope at mens state cricket, maybe not at international, but i may be wrong there anyway.

 

[cold case]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

there are plenty good enough to play elite cricket. that is womens elite cricket. elite does not only refer to mens cricket only. that is just sexist in saying that men are superior to women in that mens cricket is much better then womens. cricket is a fairly non-discriminatory game, if you were to put a woman rugby league player in a mens team she would most likely get smashed because of the size difference, nothing sexist there as i said most likely. in cricket size or body shape doesnt matter. a female cricket may not have the power to bowl at 150 km/h hour, but neither do most male cricketers. i am sure there are a couple that could cope at mens state cricket, maybe not at international, but i may be wrong there anyway.

Hey Boris or is it Doris? Have a look at the thread title.Dont waste peoples time writing misleading and fence sitting comments.Name 1 women that is near good enough to play state cricket?Lets say that a women plays her first pura match against NSW.She opens facing Brett Lee bowing at 150.Next over Nathan Bracket bowling boomerangs.Somehow she fends off 14 overs of balls whistling past her nose.Inswinger,outswinger,slowballs etc.She then has to contend with Stuart Clark.
I'd love to see it!

 

[Boris]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Hey Boris or is it Doris? Have a look at the thread title.Dont waste peoples time writing misleading and fence sitting comments.Name 1 women that is near good enough to play state cricket?Lets say that a women plays her first pura match against NSW.She opens facing Brett Lee bowing at 150.Next over Nathan Bracket bowling boomerangs.Somehow she fends off 14 overs of balls whistling past her nose.Inswinger,outswinger,slowballs etc.She then has to contend with Stuart Clark.
I'd love to see it!

a female cricketer would not make it into a side for her batting. only for her bowling, and most possibly spin bowling. i do think that maybe at no.11 the top womens batsman in the world may have a good chance of getting at least a few runs though.

 

[Wolf]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

There is no real reason why a female couldn't break into the top level of the game, apart from the obvious ones such as rules etc

Whilst they may lack power, which would largely stop a female from becoming a fast bowler (in the mode of Lee, Donald etc) there is little to stop anyone becoming a very good bat or indeed spin bowler.

Name me one womens darts player. Women have a seperate darts league to men despite there being any reason why women shouldn't be as good at darts as men.

Not sure what this proves, or why this is, though.

.the only problem though is the male/female thing. a male cricketer would not be allowed to play womens cricket, so why should a female cricketer be allowed to play mens cricket. you would be pretty much saying that mens cricket is far superior to womens in that women could be selected to go that step higher. i believe the australian womens team is better then the mens anyway.

I've heard this arguement so many times and not once has it made any sense to me. Women have physical limitations compared to men. So if a woman can play with the men in spite of those limitations then that's not unfair, but a man wanted to play with the women then that would be unfair.

 

[Boris]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Name me one womens darts player. Women have a seperate darts league to men despite their being any reason why women shouldn't be as good at darts as men.

Not sure what this proves, or why this is, though.


I've heard this arguement so many times and not once has it made any sense to me. Women have physical limitations compared to men. So if a woman can play with the men in spiute of those limitations then that's not unfair, but a man wanted to play with the women then that would be unfair.

this is a very touchy subject because of the sexism relations, and although it may be the case (although i believe its not) it is sexist to say that a female is limited by the things that she can do because of her body. who is to say that the female body is not the superior one? it is unfair for a man to say that the mans body is much better and therefore they should be able to have many more choices. there is only way in cricket to solve this issue and that is by having separate leagues that the opposite sex cannot become involved in. since there is nobody that can safely say they know what it feels like to be both male and female with evidence then we cannot determine which sex is 'better' and therefore cannot discriminate against one or the other.

 

[A.B De Villiers]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Has anyone factored in that women, although 'limited' in their phyiscal capacity, more than make it up for emotional and mental capacity? I think as spinners and middle order bats could be idea. Women, once finely tuned to the game, would as good as the men, with their ability to provide rational thought, as well innovative thought, all the while being able to manage their own game and so on.

While we are all talking about this, which is purely theory, has anyone seen it in practise? why not set up a match to test it? I'm sure you could find 22 willing and able cricketers at similar level to test the waters.

 

[hattrick]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

Guys .. A few years ago in local club cricket in Cape Town the national woman's cricket captain(the name was Kim Price for those interested) played reserve level club cricket.

Wolf mate have a look at Annika Sorenstam, Michelle Wie's attempt to play Mens Golf Events. Yes they did not make the cut in those events but from a performance point of view did the LPGA a lot for in terms of media.

Physical limitations .. have a look at Milka Dunno, Sarah Fisher and Danica Patrick and how successful they have been at OPEN wheel automobile racing. To drive a vehicle on an oval at 200 mph OR 2-4 hours every 2 weeks that shows me that it is possible.

I think it boils down to the the leagues take on participation on it. Augusta National does not allow woman in their leadership positions.

I believe that this is basically an individual case analysis .. I saw no one complaining a failing Anna Kournikova..

To get to cricket.. it boils down to coordination ability and level of performance.. what marketing guru will do a mens vs womens 20/20 challenge ala Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs..

This will be debated for quite a while me thinks..

 

[Kram81]

Re: Could a Woman play elite men's cricket?

I think the main obstacle is in what level of interest in the game do women actually have? I can only think of one female that I know that is even a 'fan' of the game above just a passing interest, let alone actually playing the game seriously.

Compare this to other sports such as tennis, basketball and golf which have a very large participation of females..

From what I've seen of the womens national side they would get absolutely thrashed by any first grade club side in Western Australia.