Charlotte Edwards: Australia’s men taught us how to bring the Ashes back home

EXCLUSIVE: England captain celebrates being named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year
9 April 2014

Charlotte Edwards would have loved to have held aloft the T20 Women’s World Cup in the Long Room at Lord’s tonight.

The captain of the England women’s cricket team will be an honoured guest at the traditional dinner to mark the annual publication of Wisden.

Had Edwards been able to take the trophy, it would have been the perfect end to a memorable winter in which she had become only the second woman in the 150-year history of the game’s bible to be named as one of its five cricketers of the year. In 2009, her former team-mate, Claire Taylor, became the first female to be honoured by Wisden after she was named player of the tournament at the World Cup.

But Edwards — whose Wisden honour was announced today — can console herself that her team’s six-wicket defeat by Australia in Sunday’s Dhaka final was in a country England’s women had never played in before. Set against the performance of the men, who knew all about playing in Bangladesh, the women’s failure in the final seems a great victory.

Stuart Broad’s team not only failed to get out of their T20 group but even lost embarrassingly to the part-timers from Holland. As for the Ashes, while the men lost 5-0, Edwards’s team retained the urn they won at home in August.

“Winning out in Australia was an outstanding achievement and incredibly satisfying,” says Edwards. “It was one of our hardest assignments to go out there and win, especially at the grounds we beat them. To win a Test match at Perth which is very Australian and where they’ve had a lot of success was crucial in retaining the Ashes. I’m hugely proud of what we achieved and the effort the players put in for that four weeks of high pressure, high intensity cricket.”

This pride is all the greater because it was just after the men’s whitewash Down Under.

“Obviously, the Australian men played some outstanding cricket but it was tough to be out there at the same time and watch the guys really underperform,” she says. “At times we had to block it out. When I first got out there, I was on holiday and I watched a bit of the men’s Test in Perth. I had to shut it out for a few weeks. But, once our tour began, it was about using that as motivation. It made us a little bit more determined. It definitely motivated us to restore some pride in English cricket and bring the Ashes home.”

And, ironically for the Aussie women, Edwards’s team drew strength from the way the Aussie men performed. “We saw how aggressive they were,” says Edwards. “They’re back to the Australia of old. It shows what happens once a team get the momentum in their favour. We knew the Aussie women would try to replicate that as well, so it was probably fortunate for us that the men played before us. We learned from the Aussie men how we needed to go about our campaign.”

So, with Edwards having led the women to victory in both the World Cups for 50 overs and T20, is there a secret here for English men to learn?

“A lot of the reason why we’ve been so successful in recent times is that we have a group of girls who we’ve kept together for probably five or six years,” says Edwards. “And a lot of us are good friends within the team. We play for one another, something that really sets us apart from other teams.”

The contrast with the men’s team could not be starker. By the end of the men’s tour, such were the dressing room problems that Kevin Pietersen, England’s best batsman, was sensationally sacked. But when I raise the issue, Edwards diplomatically says: “It’s not for me to comment on the men’s team. I’ve got a big enough job looking after the women. I’m sure decisions have been made with English cricket at heart.”

While Edwards is not willing to discuss Pietersen, she does talk about sledging in the women’s game. “I’m not going to sit here and say we don’t say anything to the other team,” she says. “But, of course, we don’t say rude things. We all know the line and that’s the most important thing. We play it hard on the pitch but in good heart and, once we walk off it, it’s great to have friends among the opposition.”

For Edwards, this philosophy flows from her belief that women cricketers are role models. “When I was growing up, I didn’t have a female role model so, to have that role now is something I take very seriously and, hopefully, do well. We’ve got some incredible players within women’s cricket who are acting as role models for young girls.

“For one so young, Sarah Taylor has been incredible. She has won the T20 ICC player of the year for the last two years, which is outstanding. There is Anya Shrubsole, who leads our attack [and was the T20 World Cup player of the tournament for her 13 wickets]. And Danielle Hazell has been a really key performer for us in Twenty20.”

But does the rise of these cricketers not make her want to call it a day? As Wisden observes in its tribute to the 34-year-old Edwards, in terms of longevity she is verging on Sachin Tendulkar’s career — debut at the age of 16, at the top for 18 years and captain of the side since 2005. “I am certainly not thinking of retirement,” she says firmly. “I am lucky to have had such a long career and, hopefully, that will keep going for a few more years yet. I’ve got as much hunger as ever.

“But, when I wake up one morning and feel ‘why am I doing this?’, my retirement won’t be far away.”

However, with women being put on professional contracts from this year, that day is likely to be pushed back even further.

“The exciting news of the contracts will, hopefully, motivate me to keep getting better,” she says.

The contract does not mean parity with men in wages but, looking back on her career, Edwards says: “When I made my debut in 1996 against New Zealand, I had to pay for my own clothes. Now we are very well looked after by the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board]. Over the next few years, it would be great to see how far I can really push myself and how far the game will eventually go. And professional contracts are really exciting for any young girl having aspirations to play cricket for England.”

It might also mean Wisden choosing more women for their prestigious awards. The almanac, which gives the award only once to a cricketer during a career, almost apologetically acknowledges that, had Edwards been a man, she might have won this honour 16 years ago. That does not matter to Edwards and she says: “I’m hugely honoured to be on that amazing list of previous winners. I still can’t believe it.”

She has, in fact, had plenty of time to get used to the idea because Wisden informed her of the award last November but it is only since 8.30am today, when the embargo was lifted, that she has been able to share her joy with the world.

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