In the summer, We Got Game offered the chance to win a competition which included tickets to watch England Women v Sri Lanka in the Metro Bank One Day series. Here, competition winner Georgina shares her experience of winning the competition and watching Heather Knight's team.
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Although it’s over a month since I watched the ODI between England Women and Sri Lanka Women, the excitement of seeing such a great game has not worn off.
After winning the We Got Game Instagram Channel competition, which included tickets for the England v Sri Lanka ODI, Clementine and I ventured up north for the showdown - eager for a win for England after a defeat during the IT20 series.
We arrived early at Seat Unique Riverside (the Durham County ground) on matchday to meet England’s amazing all-rounder Danielle Gibson before the game began.
Upon arrival we had a very interesting chat with a member of the security team working the game. We learned about some of the measures it takes to host an international game and discussed some our favourite grounds (The Kensington Oval being mine), before walking to the ground and meeting Danielle which admittedly we both found very exciting.
We chatted about the past season and own experiences with the game, before taking some photos together and making our way over to the stands for the toss.
The game began with England fielding and taking some brilliant wickets early with Mahika Gaur and Lauren Filer both taking an incredible 3 wickets on their ODI debuts.
England’s tight fielding and dangerous bowling left Sri Lanka all out for 106 runs after 30 overs. Half time came and a stroll round the ground led us to the ‘We Got Game’ booth where lots of younger children were giving the many challenges provided a go. After a quick lunch it was back for the second innings.
With Sri Lanka in the field bowling well, it was a tense watch as England chased the win. Emma Lamb and Tammy Beaumont put down some solid boundaries during their partnership leaving England in brilliant position to secure the win.
With the fall of only three wickets and a powerful four by Maia Bouchier, England took the first win of the ODI’s v Sri Lanka with a score of 107/3. After the game we briefly met some of the other players before heading home down south.
Cricket has played a big role in our childhood, one of my earliest memories playing sport came from my time at school in Barbados where we would bat against the playground fence at lunchtime. Having a sport where you can socialise, get fit and feel a part of a community can give a dull working week purpose or a boring summer holiday excitement. For many cricket is the answer!
The women’s game has grown immensely over the years, I’ve witnessed the accessibility for young girls and women alike to join clubs become the best it’s ever been. The match was a testament to the growing popularity in women’s cricket, and with a long winter ahead it’s down to us to keep that flame alight.
Many thanks to ‘We Got Game’ for the incredible opportunity; it’s certainly not one we will forget.
Keep an eye on the We Got Game Instagram channel for future competitions, or head to the We Got Game landing page to find a local club for you to join.