Daisy Cutter 002

Contributors

Charlie Anderson............................................... ..................3 & 8 is an actor and barista. He can be found in Brighton, checking the score of Norway vs Guernsey on Cricinfo. He's very quiet and enjoys puzzles.

David Windram..............................................................................................................................................5

isapart-timecricketwriterbasedbetweenStirlingandEdinburghwhoalsooccasionally writes on the murky world of Scottish football. He can be followed on Twitter @davewindram and sporadically writes on his substackhttps://fearandloathingatmidwicket.substack.com.

Benedict Jones..............................................................................................................................................8

isaGloucestershirecricketfanbasedinCheltenham.Inhissparetimeheenjoyspainting cricketers in his unique style. He recently had his Jimmy Anderson painting bought by Tailenders' Mattchin for Jimmy's 40th Birthday. Ben also takes requests for paintings: @benedictjones_onTwitterandInstagram.

Daisy Coombs.............................................................................................................................................13 isaWelshillustratorwithapsychiclinktoCharlotteBrontë.

Kim Fulton.....................................................

....................................14 is a writer and cricketer from Auckland, New Zealand. Her writing has appeared in literaryjournalsinNewZealandandoverseas.Herfirstbookofpoems,Ikindofthought the alpacas were a metaphor until we got there, is out now. Kim has played cricket for more than 25 years at a range of levels throughout the country. She’s previously worked as a journalist and is now a communications lead in the tertiary education sector.

Shafaan Jafri...............................................................................................................................................15 is a British-Pakistani postgraduate research student. When he's not watching Babar Azam'scoverdrivesorShaheenAfridi'sfirstoversonloop,he'sdesigningillustrationsof themandsharingthemat@SJD_Design.

Katya Whitney.............................................................................................................................................16

isafreelancesportswriterandpost-gradjournalismstudent.SouthernerupNorthand can probably be found somewhere on the M1 most weekends. Big fan of dogs (and cricket).

Est Rosenberg.................................................. ............................18

isanartistandcricketfanfromtheUK.They'venevermetananimaltheydidn'tlike.

Billy Pratt.........................................................................................................................................................21

is a mere bystander caught up in the raging fire of English cricket's culture war. He believes Sophie Ecclestone's six-hitting ability is under-utilised, loves Moeen Ali and finds himselfenjoyingwhiteballcricketmorenowthathe'sgotaproperjob.Likestodrawon MSPaintsometimes.

2Daisy2Cutter: DangerouslyinPrint

Rhiannon Blake isHeadingley'stop-rated falseprophet/Boxfrequenter

Ildikó Connell hasabuttthatwon'tquit

Char Purdham isapart-timeartist,full-time LOSTenthusiast

Abbie Rhodes hascreatedmenfromclay

The summer of 2022 has been the summer of heroes. From Jonny Bairstow to Mick Lynch, BazBall to collective bargaining, change has been brewing in England'sgreenandpleasantlandandwe hope both can prevail. Realistically, however, it will probably only be one: thereispowerinaunion,butnotsomuch intheEnglandcricketteam.

Things are changing around here, too. We're now in print! Coming to you later than expected because life gets in the way, but better late than never. We're super excited to share with you some amazing art and writing from returning and first-time contributors alike, alongside some editorial pieces and a veryspecialinterview.

Thank you to everyone who submitted theirworkforthisissue,whetheritmade the final cut or not. Your engagement and enthusiasm has kept us from falling atthefirsthurdleandallowedustomake it all the way to issue number two. We love you and hope this provides the perfectsign-offforyoursummer.

Abi Slade isabadbitch(non-committal)

Enjoy!

TheDaisyTeam

REMEMBERING HUNK

On the evening of March 25th 2022, Gloucestershire and Namibia legend Hunk Frunkus died at the age of 24 at his parents’ cattle ranch in Namibia. Hunk left this world ecqeicqe surrounded by friends and well-wishers during his much-lauded annual sex party, when his generous full-body coating of lubricant caused him to slip and fall down a flight of stairs.

Born in the Oshikoto region of northern Namibia, Hunk made headlines from birth as the largest baby in regional history. Hunk was born to the Belgian entrepreneuse Callista Bof and Bart Frunkus, a South African import-export consultant for US mining companies.

Thecoupleemigratedtotheir4000-hectareNamibiancattleranchin1994,describing themselvesas“politicallyhomeless”.

His early dreams of becoming a quantity surveyor were dashed due to what one school report described as “a room-temperature intellect”, but he shone in his second choice career: cricket. Hunk’s first taste of cricket came from a second-hand DVD of Monty’s Cricket Madness: a bumper collection of gaffes and goofs proudly picked by the Barmy Army, a 2007 film presented by the former England spinner Monty Panesar. The nine-year-old Frunkus was hooked for life. With a father who often travelled for work and no other children for miles, Hunk was his own cricket coach, making his own ball and wicket out of leather and calf bones from the ranch’s abattoir.

His cricketing and sexual prowess set Frunkus apart from his peers early on in his career, becoming a notorious presence across Bristol and the South West in his first summerwithGloucestershire,bothonandoffthepitch.

Fitting to his life's legacy and the terms of his will, Hunk was buried completely shaved and oiled “like a bad guy from Street Fighter”. Pongo de Boffenschloeken (Durham, SA) gave a heartfelt tribute to his close friend Frunkus on his LinkedIn: "he died as he lived: incrediblywealthyandsmooth."

Hunk is survived by his mother, Callista, his newborn son Archie (DNA test pending), and afirst-classbattingaverageof83.

“Lady in reeeeeeeeeed….is dancing with me…cheek to cheek”. The driver smirkedasthesoft tonesofChrisDe Burgh took hold, and the Honda AccordpulledintotheBBCStudiocar park. He took the last few draws of his smoke and flicked it out the window. Peering into his rearview mirror, he ran his thumb and index finger across his moustache, gave his sandy locks a shake and winked to himself. It was only a bunch of jock students, this should be a piece of piss.

Before the lordships, the trade envoys, the twitter dick pic, the TVcommentary,the Brexiteering and the wine, Ian Botham was a cricketer. A pretty good one at that. With his swashbuckling batting and electric bowling, he revitalised English cricket in the eighties. By 1986, he was at the height of his fame, and a man in demand. Both on and off the field.

In Scotland, it was a decade of decimation. Margaret Thatcher’s brutal de industrialisation policies were ripping the country apart. There was strike after strike andjoblossafterjoblossafter job loss. With that came rich anti-establishment sentiment fromacrossthecountry.There was strong political engagement from students, reflected in TV shows like BBC Scotland’s Open To Question. Theaudience participation

show saw students posing topical questions to guest personalities, from Jimmy Reid and Tony Benn to Enoch Powell and freemason commander Michael Higham. And in 1986,Englandcricketer,IanBotham.

As expected, Botham’s appearance was excruciating, toe-curling, ear bleedingly painful.Atruemust-watch.

Dressed like your flatmate’s boyfriend who thinks he is Hector Bellerin and spends too much time trawling depop, Botham is slumped in his seat, legs looselycrossed. He clearly feels above all this. He is used to being listened to. He is used to a captive audience who will nod along in agreement. But here, heisinstantlyontheback foot.

“I think you’re missing the whole context love” is his retort when questioned on parenting. He explains a packed travel itinerary means his wife accepts she is expected to raise their children independently. “If you want her to send me the nappies through the post, I will washthemandsendthemback”.

Even this early, it is clear how this is going to go. The students pose questions, to which Botham will respond to in the most reductive, Brentien, Partrigian way. Evidently, he has misjudged the tone of the evening. Now, it’s all about keeping his headabovewater.

“Is your wife satisfied with your attitude to child-rearing, or does she resent your apparent immersion in your own sport?”. Bang.Herewego.Nogentleeasinginfor

"I'm a cricketer, "I'm a cricketer, not a politician..." not a politician..."

anyone.Thequestionisaskedwith such clarity, and without apology, that Botham doesn’t have a fucking clue where to look. Taken aback, he smirks, turns away and returnslikeawoundedanimal.He isclearlypissedoff.“Thatsportis my living, to me, I’m an entertainer, so if you can

toabull.“Mostanti-bloodpeopleare townies,theyliveincities”. Obviously, the problem is with everyone else. If only we could all open our eyes, we would see that what he was saying was the only rational position. At which point he utters the immortal line “What people don’t realise is… deer in this country…there aremore deer in this country than there were in the days of the King Henry the Eighth,fact”.Fact.Fact?Fact!

someonesoclearly establishment, still beperceivedasanti-establishment.

Next up is drug use. A thorny issue at the time and particularly topical, as Botham had just returned from a ban foradmittingtosmokingweedonatour toNew Zealand. No big deal. Until, that is, our man advocates for the death penalty. Doubling down with the proclamation that heroin dealers should be shot, while those caught smuggling drugs shouldn’t simply be put in jail, but behanged.

Thingsaregettingverydark.

if a guy gets off his backside and wants to make something of his life, he should have that opportunity. I feel under the LabourPartyitwouldbetoo easy forpeopletositontheirbacksides and get paid for it”. There’s yer original MollyMae.

There is one very small chink in the Thatcher extolling. On the subject of Britain’s refusal to adopt sanctions against apartheid, Botham is in disagreement with the prime minister.It’snotallthatdifficult

True, Ian; but there are not many people whoarejustquitethatevil.

Presenter, and now SNP MP, John Nicholson,challengesBothamtomakehis voice louder on the adoption of antiapartheid sanctions.“I’m a cricketer, not a politician”. Finally, some sense from the man slumped in his chair. Those words only increase in prescience as the years goby.

The discussion is brought to a conclusion as one audience member calls out Botham for his hypocrisy. On one hand, he proclaims himself anti-apartheid, while then describing Pakistan as “the type of place you send your mother-in-law for four weeks, all expenses paid”. He was fined for the comments but evidently resents the punishment. There is an attempt to justify the comments by saying it’s nothing worse than what Les Dawson says every weekend on TV.Talkabouttellingon yourself.Yet, it’s a further depressing moment, in analreadydepressinginsightinto one of England’s greatest ever sportsmen.

Botham’sstaggeringperformanceis brought to a conclusion as he turns tothe audiencememberwhoposed the question…” Excuse me, you must haveasenseof humoursomewhere intherelove”.

ForabunchofScottishstudentsin the eighties, an English cricketer represented the embodiment of an establishment Thatcherite man. It was cable knits, old boys clubs, ties and blazers. It was God, country,andQueen.Thepursuitof capitalismandallits perceived

virtues. It was Tory politicians clumsily using some cricketing metaphor to explain a political point. What Botham had done on the field was irrelevant to them. The Ashes were completely insignificant. They didn’t care about whether Gatting should have taken over from Gower. The ‘Somerset Three’ were a complete irrelevance to them. Clearly, Botham was too selfinvolved to appreciate that. Completelyimmersedin hisown world.

Teammates and opposition continue to talk about mysterious magic that their mate ‘Beefy’ seemed to have. About how he wouldpullsomethingfromnowhere to change the course of a match. Ofhoweffortlesslyheappearedto harness his will to win into a victory.Butonthisdayhelost,and he lost badly. This is one opposition he was never going to bend to his will,regardlessofhowforcefullyhe tried.

The radio crackled as the driver adjusted the dial, before setting down and pulling out of the studio car park. “There's nobody here, it's just you and me,it'swhereIwanttobe.ButI hardly know this beauty by my side, I'll never forget…the way you look tonight” He balanced a can of Kestrel between his legs and smirked. Just as he thought, a pieceofpiss.

David Windram

Ones To Watch: Ones To Watch: E DITION EDITION Ones To Watch: E DITION THE HUNDRED

By the time this goes to print, we will likely know the name of the brave and glorious crisp brand who may lay claim to the title of Hundred Champions 2022. Nevertheless, it's the taking part that counts,sowe'vecompiledalistofalltheplayerswhohavecaught our eye this season, through their righteous dedication to the destructionofRealCricketonceandforall.

Bort Kloempers

OvalInvincibles

OvalInvincibles

NorthernSuperchargers

BirminghamPhoenix

TrentRockets

SouthernBrave

Jorp Duishuisers

LondonSpirit

BirminghamPhoenix

Byron Cromwell

George Yarg

Tim 'Mitch' Honk

Rory Wethersby

Finn Ogden-Wistanley

Jolyon 'Jo' Chippenham

Abi: In November you came out as non-binary. Working in a sporting environment, have you experienced anychangessinceyoucameout?

Hen: Yes is the short answer, but in a brilliant and positive way. It's funnyworking with the England Women's team everybody more or less knew that my experience of gender wasn't traditional. They didn't all necessarily knowwhatthatmeantorwhatwords to use, but I would present in ways that weren't traditionally masculine. Women's sport in general is a very accepting space; there are a number of individuals in the group who understood not conforming to stereotypes and pushing boundaries. Even before I came out, some people specifically knew, some people generally knew, so I don't think it was really a surprise to my colleaguesplayers and staff. They are without a doubt the most inclusive, welcoming, kind,lovelyandlovinghumanbeingsto a person. So, the changes I've experienced have just been seeing that in other places a bit more than I had previously. It's very hard to explain the kind of self-loathing and readinessforrejectionyouhavewhen youhavegenderdysmorphiaand

HEN HEN

body dysmorphia, and what I was amazed at was the outpouring of love and support from lots of people oncricketTwitter.Frommyownpoint of view, to live as myself a bit more honestly since November, has been immensely positive - that's the big change. It has been frightening at times but it's been nice to see that cricket can be a welcoming and inclusivespace.

Abbie: There is definitely an unconventional attitude towards genderintheEnglandWomen's

"As young girls, the women were already accustomed to doing thingsthatsocietysaid theyshouldn'tbedoingor at least weren't encouragingthemtodo. They were already hearing what society wantedthemtodoand saying no. They broke boundariesallthetime."

The two Ab(b)i(e)s caught up with England Women's Communications Manager, Hen Cowen.

PARTY

PARTY

team. How has that developed duringyourtimewiththeteam?

Hen: I often wonder what it is about women's sport that means that so many of the individuals in it are so welcoming, and I think that part of it comes from the fact that, as young girls, they were already accustomed todoingthingsthatsocietysaidthey shouldn't be doing - or at least weren't encouraging them to do. Think of any number of the teamHeather,Katherine,Nat,whoever-at age5,6,7theywerealreadyhearing whatsocietywantedthemtodoand saying no. Every time they moved up an age bracket, every time they told someone 'I play cricket', and then became professional cricketers, they broke boundaries all the time. Hopefully,thatdoesn'tneedtobethe case going forward for girls in cricket. I think that's part of it - the fact that they were at cricket clubs whentheywerelittleandplayingwith boys and having to hear whatever nonsense they would have had to hearwhentheywereyoung-Ithinkit means that they're naturally more inclusive. They're in a space where they've had to defy things to get within,andthencarriedonexcelling

at it. There's also a higher degree of openhomosexualityinwomen'ssport, which I think plays a part in it. When I started in the role, Katherine and Natalieweren'tpubliclyout,whichwas something we talked about a lot and helped each other. That's been a privilegetohavethoseconversations. I think women's sport is a welcoming space for a number of reasons, but I think it's because these women are trailblazers.

Abi:Idon'tthinkit'sanysecretthat womenincricketfacealotofonline backlash, and you have a very interesting role as their communications manager. How do you manage to respond to the backlashinaprofessionalmanner?

Hen: I find it super hard. There are 1000 tweets in my drafts that I've never sent, because I think 'Should I really do that?', and the answer, 99% ofthetime,isno.IloveTwitter,butit can be awful, so when you see somethinghorribleIhavetothink'AmI going to help the situation by getting involved?'-probablynot.Istheperson typingthisanabsoluteidiot?Yes.AmI going to change their opinion? No. I mean,sexistsonTwitter-istherea

lessinspiringgroupofpeople?Tofeel the need to carry on spouting that kind of stuff publicly is so sad. They must be so broken inside to feel the need to belittle and diminish and criticise; it's incredible. If it's just 'women's cricket is rubbish' then it's got to a point now where it's just an eyeroll,becauseIknowthey'rewrong and that they've closed themselves off to something that is fantastic, and that they'd really enjoy if they weren't a moron. The more difficult stuff is when it becomes personal abouttheplayers,whichisincreasing. It's a funny one; the more women's cricket grows, the bigger profile it gets,themoredifficultitbecomesto beawomen'scricketeronline.Alotof our players aren't really on Twitter, and I think part of that is because being a female athlete is tragically difficult. It's not worth the grief. But itisverydifficult-youseesomething and it hurts, and you don't want that to be seen by a younger person and put them off playing cricket or pursuinglifewithincricket.

Abi: You've obviously noticed changesinthereceptionofwomen's cricketduringyourtimeattheECB. Doyouthinktherewouldeverbean initiative of fighting back against thetrolls?

Hen: I'd like to think that there wouldn't need to be a concerted campaign. In the same way that the gamehashadtofaceuptosystemic issues such as racism and classism, the game has to be able to deal with the fact that cricket is structurally sexist and chauvinistic. That isn't the faultoftheECB-itrunsalotdeeper than that. The ECB have a role to play, but we all do as individuals, and formenthatcomesdowntospeaking to and calling out their friends, watching and understanding women's cricket, and for clubs and counties to create environments in which women and girls feel welcomed. From a recreational point of view, we often talk about the clubhouse: if you're a girl turning up for All Stars and walk intotheclubhouse,there'spicturesof men all around and that's it, and it's a blokey pub - why would you want to gobackandplaycricket?Whatwould enticeyoutobeinthatenvironment? Things like that need to change. The facilities at cricket clubs need to change. The kit that can be worn, does it need to be whites? All those things need to change. Maybe it's a matter of time for women's cricket, butIdothinkwearemovingforward. Women and girls need to feel welcome and encouraged; it's a fantasticsportandbeautifulthing

"Ifyou'reagirlturningup for All Stars and walk into the clubhouse, there's pictures of men all around and that's it, and it's a blokey pubwhywouldyouwantto go back and play cricket?"

and it's so sad that it traditionally catersforjustmen.

Abbie: It's interesting to think of how much the acceptance of homosexuality in cricket has come forwardinthelastfewyears.How much is it a matter of laying the foundations that enable people to come forward, or is it a matter of gettingqueerpeopleintothesport inthefirstplace?

Hen: Asinallwalksoflife,thesethings are a combination of a number of things. Speaking specifically as the ECB,wehavearesponsibilitytomake our game as inclusive and welcoming as possible, and despite what people might think, it is not for the want of trying.Oftentheintentionsarethere to do just that - it's not always easily achieved, but the intention is there. The structural bodies in cricket definitely have a responsibility to be actively welcoming. Last year when the Unicorns played Graces, in what we think was the first every LGBT cricket match, we worked with the two teams and supported and promoted them. There's an element of the ECB helping and facilitating to make the game more welcoming, so that in turn people come into the gameandchangecanbedrivenfrom thegrassrootsup.Itcan'tjustbethe boardrooms driving change, because inclusivity and diversity are all realworld things. It's ultimately how we all liveourlives,andspeaktoeachother. Youcanhavereallygreatplans,butif noonecaresorlistens,thenthings

willcarryonastheyare.So,it'salittle bitofboth.Thepeopleinpowerneed to drive change, but you need everyone in the sport to continue drivingthatchange.

Abi:Anicequestiontoendon.What has been the highlight of your careersofar?

Hen: Oh,somany.Theeasyansweris the 2017 World Cup final at Lord's, butIwasincrediblynewatthejob,so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as if we won now. As media manager, you have to go into work mode when you winaworldcup,soIdidn'treallydrink it in. I wish I could live the day again and remember the highs and lows of it.Asidefromthat,andthisisareally corny answer, but all the times travelling with people who are now reallygoodfriendsofmine.That'sthe great thing about working in sport; you get the opportunity to do so manythings.It'sthetimesintheback of the hotel, or the team room, or finding a new coffee shop in whatever city you find yourselves in. It'sthelaughterawayfromthepitch. Equally,though-andthisislesscorny - seeing people achieve things that you know are incredibly special to them. Seeing Sophia Dunkley get 70+ on her test debut after knowing her asaperson;seeingSophieEcclestone getting her first fivefer in a world cup. When you know the individuals behind those achievements and know how hard they've worked, you know how special it is and I am so lucky to witnessthat. ■

10

insteadofthenationalanthem insteadofthenationalanthem songsfor songsforengland englandtosing tosing (thataren'tjerusalem) (thataren'tjerusalem)

takethat-neverforget

huescorporation-rocktheboat

willremindpeoplethat they'dmuchratherbeat anirishweddingthanthe cricket

boneym-rasputin

the player who does the best dance (as judged against the just dance 2 scoring system) gets a kiss on the forehead from the opposition captain

tearsforfears-everybodywantstoruletheworld

djsammy-heaven

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

somethingbyelvis seal-kissfrom arose

lanadelrey-thenationalanthem

thegleeversionofiwill survive/survivor

specficallythegleeversion. england'srevisedmanagement andstyleofplaywillsurelytake themin new directions

which version depends on which side of the billy bragg cool/cringe debate you're on.

Square leg boundary, Melville Park

Our first drop and second slip smoked cigarettes behind the bathrooms during drinks. I carried Emily Brontë in my gear bag when it rained.

I don’t know what you’ve been told, but the game is more about marking time than it is about anything more consequential.

I’d whistle on the square leg boundary in the early overs while opening batsmen played cautious straight drives. They were batsmen then and would remain so for another two decades. What is language worth anyway when weighed against whatever our souls are made of?

Melancholy sweeter than common joy, that’s Brontë’s take on the passage of time, the worn-down touch of cork and leather, pulling the stumps from the ground as the light fades.

Kim Fulton

WHY IS CRICKET OBSESSED WITH WEIGHT?

In July 2022 Lizelle Lee, fresh from being named The ICC’s ODI Player of the Year in 2021, announced her retirement from international cricket mid-tour. In an interview with the BBC’s Stump podcast she revealed that Cricket South Africa (CSA) had deemed her unfit to play due to her weight being over their requirementdespitepassingallfitnesstests:

“Basically, I’m fit to play….I told them ‘you’re dropping me because of the way I look and how much I weigh’ and they said ‘no, we’re dropping youbecauseyoufailedthefitnessbattery’.

I said: ‘Yes, okay, but if you break the fitness battery down, what did I not make? I made the fitness, the running, but I didn’t make my weight. So,you’redroppingmebecauseofweight’.”

Not only are the circumstances demoralising, but Lee feels she was I essentially forced to retire to keep on earning money, as CSA could have pulled authorisation for her to play in domestic franchise leagues such as The Hundred and the Women’s Big Blast (CSA deny theywouldhavedonethis).

There is nothing wrong with Lizelle Lee’s body: It does exactly what she needs it to do, and yet thefocusonherweighthasledtoherunableto lookinthemirror:

“I don’t feel good about myself, I don’t even look at myself in the mirror anymore because I don’t like the way I look. That just comes about because every time I’m in camp it’s always about my weight. Emotionally it just breaks a persondown,”shesaid.

It’s heartbreaking reading: here is a woman who has the skills and fitness necessary to play cricket, but was turned away because society hasdeemedanathleteshouldlookacertainway -andshe’snotit.Inherownwords:“Personally,I knowIdon’tlooklikeanathlete–itdoesn’tmean I can’t do my job. I looked like this last year, and I hadabrilliantyear.”

Inmid-2020,EnglandopenerDomSibleylost2kg and was praised by some for this supposed show of “determination” and “commitment” to the sport. “ I recall trying to talk to a journalist on Twitter about why ascribing positive moral values to weight loss promotes disordered attitudes towards weight and eating, and getting repeatedly shot down because “it’s internationalsport.”

At the same time, I spoke to Adam, who in his teens was told point blank by his school's first team coach that he would need to lose weight to be considered for selection - despite topping his year's batting averages. He spent the best partofthenextdecadewithaneatingdisorder:

“Weight loss shouldn't be celebrated because it contributes to a culture in the game which says that 'fat' people have failed and need to lose weight to be considered successful, when what theyactuallyneedtodoistoscoreruns.”

We were supposed to believe that, not only did this weight loss signify a strong work ethic (I guesspeoplewhodon’tloseweightarethuslazy and don’t care!), but that it would herald an improvement in form. The latter didn’t exactly materialise, with Sibley’s Test average in 2021 amounting to an unremarkable 19.7, down from 2020’s40.7.Coulditpossiblybethatweightloss isn’t the answer? Can the player do their job to the standard required irrespective of their weight? If not, is there evidence that their weight is actually the issue, or is it just an easy target?

“"I became known as a fat cricketer. That was horrible.ThatwaswhenIstarteddoingit.That

was when I started being sick after meals. Then things started happening for me as a player. Everyone was happy with me. My weight was coming down. It was like: 'I'm bossing this.' It just carriedonandIwasdoingitallthetime."

In September 2020, a documentary about AndrewFlintoff’sstrugglewithbulimiawasaired, and widely praised. Flintoff talked about how his career took off as he was in the midst of his eating disorder, thus intensifying the psychological link between keeping his weight down through purging, and his success - and how,ultimately,itprobablycuthiscareershort.

At the time, it felt like this documentary really madeanimpactinthecricketingcommunity.Yet in January 2022, we read about accusations of fat-shaming in the England setup after one playerrefusedtotakepartintheskinfoldtest’.

The skinfold test is a common test where callipers are used to pinch the skin and take measurements on various parts of the body, and then these numbers, along with your age, are put into an equation to calculate your body fat. The test has large margins of error and can be pretty humiliating to go through if you have body worries. In 2022, there are certainly more accurate and less embarrassing ways to do this - it’s hard to believe that such an unnecessary process is not being used at least in part as a waytomakesurethatplayersknowtheirplace.

Like Flintoff, I was bulimic. My eating disorder started after I had a back injury at 15. I was a sporty girl who took part in any sport on offer andwasaverygoodsprinterandtriplejumper.I had always been very slim, which I'd always been toldwasagoodthing.Ihada“runner’sphysique” (thin) and PE teachers were unpleasantly surprised that I was crap at longer distances because they equated thinness with fitnessandIwasn’tthatfit.

I remember seeing other girls being told to lose weight in front of everyone - girls who were dominant on the hockey pitch, strong girls who were off competing in throwing events for their county being told that they’re too fat. The message that you must be thin and always be working to remain thin was impossible not to internalise.

When I stopped doing all that exercise I inevitably gained weight and I panicked. I spent 2 years with full-blown binge/purge bulimia trying to keep the body that felt like my defining positive feature. I couldn't bring myself to ask for support - the shame attached to bulimia makes it so hard - but eventually managed to stop. I then became anorexic and spent most of university eating poorly. I have gone through phases ever since. I remember a few years ago going to the beach with a near-stranger who told me I had a lovely figure and I replied that, actually, I’d been anorexic and barely eating for the last year. No matter how much work I do internally to break free of the eating disorder mindset,it’salwaysaroundme.

I first really got into cricket in 2005, the year after my injury, and one of the things I liked about the sport was seeing a wider range of body types on offer than just “athletic” (ironic that I was unknowingly watching Flintoff at the height of his eating disorder). As such, it has been particularly depressing to read recent reportsoftheculturetowardsweightwithinthe sport.

A sportsperson’s body is served up for public consumption. I’m sure nobody enters professional sport not knowing that their bodies will be scrutinised, but if it’s getting to the point, as Lizelle Lee indicates, that the number on the scale is taking precedence over actual fitness, then there’s a problem. This attitude hasn’t helpedanyone-Leeisn’tplayingforhercountry and she gets to feel shit about her body on top of it. Viewers lose a player on screen who represents a normal and relatable body type andplaysexcellentcricket.

It’s not good enough to say, “well, that’s just international sport for you”. We can do better thanstickingwiththestatusquo.LizelleLeesays she knows she doesn't look like an athlete. Last year Lizelle Lee had an ODI average of 90.28. Thatlookslikeanathletetome. ■

IGG'S

IGG'S PIECE, ALONG WITH OTHER POSTS AND INTERVIEWS BY DAISY'S EDITORIAL TEAM, CAN BE FOUNDONTHEZINEBLOG.

Women's IPL: If Not Now, When?

Women's IPL: If Not Now, When?

The establishment of a women’s IPL, set to be held in 2023, is not justvitalforthecontinuedgrowth oftheglobalwomen’sgamebutis essential for the Indian national team.

A plethora of excuses have been given by the BCCI over the last five years as to why a women’s tournamentisnotinexistence,but the declining performance of the national side should be the decisivefactorinturningthetide.

Since India’s infamous role in the World Cup Final of 2017, the landscape and dynamics of women’sinternationalcrickethave changed beyond recognition. The establishment of the Hundred, growth of the Big Bash and expansionofprofessionalismhave made for a faster-paced and highlyskilledgamewhichasaunit the Indian side has struggled to keepupwith.

This was never more noticeable thanintheWorldCupearlierthis year. As the Indian side failed to makeitthroughtothesemi-finals, it was clear to see a new world order had emerged. Australia has left everyone behind them in a cloudofdust,butIndiaarerapidly fallingoffthebackofthechasing pack.

Despite having some highly skilled legends of the game amongst their ranks, the lack of support from the BCCI and the establishmentoffranchiseleagues inothercountrieshastakenitstoll ontheIndianteam.Iftheyareto keep up and continue to play a competitive role in international cricket, they must be aided by a women’sIPL.

Such a league will offer a level of development and investment whichwillnotonlyaidthegrowth of professionalism among young cricketers progressing into the international arena but also further the confidence of senior internationals. The benefit of a top-leveltournamentonhomesoil cannotbeoverstated.

On purely a business level, it is exasperating that the BCCI cannotseemtograspthefinancial opportunitiesofmakingasuccess of such a tournament, not only basedonotherfranchisewomen’s leaguesbutalsoonthesuccessof the men’s tournament. This week thebroadcastingrightstotheIPL soldformorethan£5billion.Even if a women’s tournament is fractionally as successful it’s surelyworththeinvestment.

These benefits will only be seen however if the tournament is set uptosucceed.Thedetailsofwhat the tournament may look like if it runs in 2023 have been frustratingly vague beyond the potential for six teams. Nevertheless,theBCCImustavoid somedamagingpitfallsinorderto reap the benefits of their endeavour.

Scheduling is one such area. Hosting the tournament in a window which is attractive not onlyformatchattendancebutfor viewership is essential. The T20 Challenge faced significant barriers to expansion because of its scheduling around the time of the men’s IPL play-offs. Allowing the tournament to exist with little viewing competition would give it thespacetoclaimitsownidentity and establish itself as a major eventofthecricketingcalendar.

Alongside this, there must be a focus on young, exciting Indian playerscomingthroughtheranks. Oneofthegreatestsuccessesof other tournaments has been the discoveryofunknowntalentswho have been turned into superstars almost overnight. Creating an environment where Indian domestic cricketers can carve their own narrative will create a powerful homegrown hero effect and reinforce the roots of the tournamentamongstfans.

Most importantly, the BCCI, the teamsandtheplayersthemselves, and broadcasters must shout from the rooftops that the tournament is happening. Too often tournaments and matches have happened where fan bases have had limited knowledge of their existence. This must change. The tournament must be widely and properly advertised to generateexcitementandensureit hitsthegroundrunning.

No one wants a half-committed cobbled-together tournament which has had lacklustre planning and investment. This must be the jewel in the crown of global domestic tournaments and regarded as such by its creators. Women’scricketcannolongerbe fed on a slimming world diet, it wantsanddeservesafeast.

Katya Whitney

Werner Herzog once said he was "fascinated" by reality TV: "Read everything.Seeeverything.Thepoet must not avert his eyes". The same applies when watching and consuming sport because, ultimately, sport is reality TV. Or rather, great sport is realityTV.

ThesecondtimeIwatchedTheEdge,I chased it with TikTok clips from Real Housewives,andtheafterimageofthe documentary superimposed on BethennyFrankelsoseamlesslyIthinkI permanently replaced any impression ofwhatconversationswerehadinthe dressing room during that infamous erawith"gobackfromthecabinetyou came out of...witch". Ostensibly trivial premises - a bat-and-ball game, arguments among socialites - are given unusually high stakes: mental djfjsjdj

health struggles, the end of people's careers, all cut with dramatic shots and suspenseful music. In front of our screens, we can't look away.

CLR James derived cricket's cultural value from its supposed structural similarities with drama on stage; theembodimentofan Apollo statue by a batter playing a smooth cover drive. It was not merely low efvervf

culture,butelevatedbyofallits sharedqualitieswithhighculture. Inthemodernday,wedon’thave tostrivetoescapetherealmof low culture attributed to sport butratherembraceit.

Cricket's value as culture is not derived solely from what happens on the field or during play.WhenMcCullumandStokes committed their being in the "entertainment business" first and foremost, it wasn't just alluding to showmanship on the field, but an unintentional hark back to a bygone era, when cricketers shared tabloid spreadswithrealityTVdivasand WAGs. Bazball requires players to let go, to play with the spectacleratherthanperfection in mind. Sport is entertainment, thus sportsmen must be entertainers–evenattheirown expense.

Thisbygoneera,exemplifiedbest by the 90s and 00s, saw cricket’s image in the popular mindcaughtbetweenaclashof high and low culture. An all-oobrief, all-too-hesitant attempt at reconciling the traditionalist, conservative perceptions (and realities) of the sport with the celebrity landscape as it existed in the wake of Cool Britannia. Players were snappy, bitchy fvefv

messes. Dressing rooms were pressure cookers of colossal personalities. The last of these (because no, one street fight doesn’t make a Bitch),England’sveryownAzealiaBanks,arguably faced his downfall precisely because he found himself no longer surrounded by the flash of culturewhichhadcreatedhim.Timeshadmoved on.

By contrast, post-Textgate English cricket has been largely devoid of off-field messiness and dramainapatternreminiscentofwidercelebrity culture since around the same time. ‘Behind the scenes’ is now so acutely managed through the faux-transparency of social media that candid reaction no longer exists. The spectre of sponsorship deals and the ‘role model’ responsibility mean that the sporting reality star’s performance no longer embodies exaggerated feuds and shocking reveals, but brandedInstareelQ&AsandNFTs.

It’s taken cricket so little time to regress to this point because it had little confidence in its controversies in the first place. Any attempt at subversion was thwarted because they ultimatelystillsubscribedtotheauthorityofthe archaic institution of English cricket – if not its current iteration, then nevertheless its history andvariousmythologies–evenwhentheywere desperatelyreelingagainstit.

Beingaproductofitstime,it’sunlikelywe’llever get another chance to fully exploit the ironic contrast of cricket and tabloid celebrity culture (in England, at least). We can only hope that the McCullum-Stokesfiveyearplangivesitroomto havefunagain,ifwithouttherampanttoxicity–which is probably good for the players, just not forthoseofuswholovethedrama. ■

by Billy Pratt

Cover by Char Purdham