Staffordshire’s Danielle Wyatt is one of the leading cricketers in England, having been part of the side that won the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Her achievements were a source of great pride for the county, which has produced only a handful of international cricketers over the years, the previous one prior to her having been Dominic Cork almost a generation ago.
But the search is now on to find the Wyatts and Corks of the future.
And for the past four years, for young females in Staffordshire and Cheshire, that journey has started in ‘Softball Cricket’ as, just like all the many dads and lads before them, mums and daughters take their first steps in the game.
Wyatt certainly wishes the softball had been about when she first got started.
“I used to be scared of the cricket ball when I started playing,” she said. “I went straight into hard-ball cricket with the boys.
“But I know a lot are now starting with softball. I guess it’s what you feel comfortable with.
“Some might be scared of the hard ball when they start playing so you can get used to the skills with the soft ball and don’t feel like you’re going to break your fingers or hurt your hands.
“I’ve heard that it’s going really well in Staffordshire. People keep messaging me on Twitter saying ‘come down and watch’.”