Meet Alice Capsey, the 16-year-old student expecting to star in the Hundred

July 21, 2021 | Sport

Sixteen-year-old Alice Capsey's call-up to play for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred was surprising, most definitely. "On account of my age our lead trainer, Jonathan Batty, needed to telephone my mum first and get her authorization. Then, at that point he was at last permitted to ring me!" she reviews. Her response? "I was lost for words. I wasn't anticipating it." 

That was Christmas 2020: four months after the principal version of English cricket's spic and span all-singing, all-moving contest, the Hundred, should have been played. Coronavirus put paid to that. 

Be that as it may, in the meantime, Capsey declared herself on to the scene with an unbeaten 73 from 75 balls for South East Stars against Sunrisers in the debut ladies' territorial 50-over contest, the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Insane, who was filling in as interval lead trainer of the Stars, knew it without even a moment's pause: he needed her in his Hundred crew. 

It implies that as the Hundred at last gets going at the Oval on Wednesday, opening with an independent ladies' apparatus between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals, Capsey leaves a mark on the world of her own as the most youthful part in the whole rivalry. 

"It's really exceptional, isn't it?" she says. She will accept her GCSE results mid-competition, with the expectation of getting back to class in September to read for a brain research A-level and a twofold B-Tech in Sport Leadership. A definitive objective, however, is clear: "I'd love to get an ace agreement for the Stars." 

Capsey started playing cricket matured six, close by her more seasoned sibling at their neighborhood club, Capel CC in Dorking. She was immediately spotted: "They requested that I attend area court dates for Surrey. I got into under-11s when I was eight or nine, and I went directly through the entire Surrey pathway – I'm as yet in it truly," she says. 

That last point is a fascinating one, given the strains that exist between existing area allies and the new, establishment based contest that is the Hundred, which the ECB has expressed is unequivocally intended to draw in an alternate, more youthful fanbase. 

Another protection of the Hundred by the ECB has been its emphasis on sexual orientation equality: the overseer of the ladies' opposition, Beth Barrett-Wild, has as of late proposed that the competition is planned "to give equivalent degrees of noticeable quality and profile to our splendid female players, close by their male friends". 

Capsey – who made her senior introduction for Surrey in 2019, however who as of now has England aspirations – is savoring the chance to exhibit her ability to a more extensive crowd: without precedent for the historical backdrop of ladies' cricket, each match of a homegrown contest will be communicated live, by either the BBC or Sky.

All things being equal, the arrangement of the ladies' and men's contests likewise offers her the opportunity to prepare with and gain from the two people's headliners, including South Africa's Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp, and England's Jason Roy. "As far as I might be concerned, simply being in this climate is another thing. To be presented to this at 16 is simply mind boggling," Capsey says. "I'll be attempting to take in all things, and sincerely attempt and push on with my game." 

According to a player's viewpoint, maybe the trickiest component has been getting ready to act in an untried and untested organization. Capsey enjoys one benefit: she has effectively played in the ECB's Schools Hundred competition. "I opened. It's been intriguing – it's anything but a couple of games to get into it, and to get your head around the principles." 

A year of instructing at Bede's School from previous England genius Sarah Taylor, who is herself making a playing rebound during the Hundred, has made a difference. "It's very great to have somebody to converse with who comprehends what you're going through and can offer you guidance," Capsey says. 

It's anything but a ton about the manner in which Capsey bats – a hard hitter who is never reluctant to face determined challenges – that she doesn't appear to be at all piece worried about the test of confronting less balls. "I wouldn't say there's additional pressing factor," she says. "You can put yourself out there more and have some good times. That is the manner in which I will see it at any rate, in the event that I get into the beginning XI." 

Concerning the analysis from some current cricket fans, Capsey is courageous. "There's continually going be pundits of anything new," she shrugs. "For the pundits, I think – check it out, go to a game and perceive how it goes, in light of the fact that I'm certain the games will be truly invigorating." You can wager they will be, if Capsey has anything to do with it.