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'I've faced sexism as a female cricketer but I won't bail'

A cricketer who says she faced sexism from opponents when she first started playing in a men's league is working to help more women get into the game.

Georgia Inkley first tried cricket 17 years ago and became part of her local men's side in Leicestershire because there was no women's team.

Despite facing discriminatory comments from opposition players in her early seasons, the Countesthorpe Cricket Club player says she has become "obsessed with the sport".

The 24-year-old is now helping organise taster sessions for women and girls in a bid to get more into the amateur scene in Leicestershire.

Inkley told the BBC she started playing cricket at school after her school head teacher suggested she try a taster session.

She said: "At the end of one of the sessions, Dips Patel, who's from Leicestershire County Cricket Club, and who was leading the session, came over to me and said if I didn't join a cricket club, he'd quit his job.

"That night, when my dad picked me up, I told him 'I really fancy joining a cricket club'."

There was no local women's team at the time so she asked the men's team at Countesthorpe CC if she could join.

She said the players were "totally welcoming from the start".

However, not everyone in the amateur cricket scene in Leicestershire treated her the same way.

"When I started playing senior men's cricket I realised how unusual it was to have a woman on the team based on the comments and some of my experiences that I was having," she said.

"I do get a fair few sexist comments.

"I went to a game once and as I was going to bowl one of the players told me I shouldn't be here.

"Later on in the game one of the players turned to me and said I couldn't bat."

Inkley said she wants to use her experience to help other women and girls get into the sport.

She said once the right team has been found "you're constantly encouraged to improve yourself and do better".

"Half of them making the comments are scared and they're embarrassed at the idea that there's a woman better than them," she said.

"I feel like I've got to perform twice as much as another lad just because I've got to prove that as a woman I can actually do this.

"I've earned my place and I'm here for a reason."

A female cricketer wearing a green top and navy trousers with white shoes. She's sitting on a cricket pitch.

Inkley is now helping run taster sessions for women and girls at her club to encourage them to join as well as showing them how sociable and fun it can be.

"When I was younger, I was the only girl which was fine for me, but I know for a lot of girls that can be really daunting," she said.

"It's not a hugely accessible sport [for women] sadly, which is why we're offering girls only stuff to get them involved."

Georgia put on dedicated sessions over the winter to get more girls playing the sport.

She says these have contributed to an increase in members.

"In the winter we offered free softball, that was our way of getting girls aged between five to 10 involved so they could give it a try," she said.

"We had such a great response from that and they all loved it so they carried on.

"It's a great way for them to make friends and get active."

An East Midlands women's league was formed on 2020 but only 15 teams played across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.

There are now five divisions featuring 29 teams across the region.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been contacted for comment.

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