England's Lydia Greenway delighted by reaction to lifting Women's Twenty20 title
by Andrew Gidley
Lydia Greenway says the reaction to
England Women winning the first Twenty20 World Cup has
been amazing.
She now hopes the
six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the final at
Lord's on Sunday could see the game continue to reach a
new level in this
country.
Kent player Greenway (pictured) was back promoting the ECB’s
Chance to Shine programme at a
primary school in East Sussex, before travelling to London for a team
reception at the House of Commonson Tuesday evening, but admitted:
"There is little time to dwell on it with a big series
against Australia coming up so quickly."
"We celebrated with friends and family
afterwards, and stayed on to watch Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the
final. We were invited into ECB chairman Giles Clarke’s box and met
the former Prime Minister John Major, who congratulated us on
the victory."
Lydia
was hailed as one of the best fielders in women’s world
cricket during the tournament. A specialist point, she also gets
through plenty of work in the oufield, and said: "I don’t bowl
and I think it’s a vital part of my contribution to the team. I
always want to offer as much as I can.
"I think it was my dad (Martin) who
helped me become a good fielder, hitting tennis balls at me at home
when I was younger."
Greenway had little opportunity with
the bat during the tournament, hitting 27 in the final Pool B game
against Pakistan. She added: "I’m not complaining. because the top
order played so well. but I must admit I was disappointed to get
out in the final."
The England squad gather in Derby on
Wednesday, ahead of their Twenty20 contest against Australia
on Thursday, followed by five one-day internationals beginning
at Chelmsford next Monday. They then defend The Ashes in
a four-day Test starting at New Road in Worcester on
Friday, July 10.
Tuesday, June 23 2009