From Nappies to Net Sessions: Motherhood, Cricket and the Power of Coming Back.

This time last year, I couldn’t have called myself a ‘Cricket Mum’. I hadn’t played cricket for 6 years and I was at home enjoying a lie in and a cuppa in bed as a Mother’s Day treat, while my 1 and 2 year olds caused carnage downstairs with Daddy. 

This year looks a little different…

With a full season under my belt, I am a cricket Mum through and through these days - I’ve even got the T-shirt to prove it! But that T-shirt prompted me to think a bit more about the role of Mum’s in cricket - both for their kids, and themselves! In grassroots cricket across the UK, mothers play so many roles, from drivers, organisers, scorers, volunteers and, of course, players returning to the game themselves.

The statistics are stark, and researchers are increasingly calling motherhood the ‘participation cliff’ when it comes to exercise and sport. 57% of pregnant women and mothers with children under one say they have felt excluded or unwelcome when trying to be active. Surveys of UK mothers show 70% exercise less than they would like. A UK study found participation in team sports drops sharply after women’s twenties, with only 7% continuing into their 30s and beyond, often due to pregnancy, childcare and work pressures.

Only 7% of women continue playing team sports into their 30s, with many leaving due to pregnancy, family commitments and lack of time. Notably, it isn’t a lack of enjoyment, or a lack of willingness to play - but structural challenges that make this transition feel insurmountable. Cricket, uniquely perhaps across other sports, faces the challenge of matches being long as well as unreliable in timings due to weather.

Returning to sport after motherhood can be a daunting time – physical recovery and confidence.  But when mums play sport, children grow up seeing women as athletes, competitors and leaders. I can vouch for that personally, as my two boys proudly show friends their sparkly kwik cricket ball and declare ‘My mummy plays cricket with her friends and she’s really good!’ (Without a snack bribe in sight!). The feminist in me rejoices knowing that my boys will grow up with equality in sports just being normal life.

It’s probably not surprising that pregnant and recently postpartum women are under-represented in academic research - resulting in a lack of advice about how to return to previous activities after having children. I remember running up to bowl for the first time and thinking - ‘I have no idea what is going to happen here!’ - and I wasn’t referring to line or length! But physical activity is so beneficial for physical and mental wellbeing - and pregnancy and early motherhood is a time that is known for a feeling of a loss of identity and positive feelings about your body.

But the tides are turning, and more and more mothers are returning to elite sports and changing the narrative by showing what is possible. Sarah Elliot is a fantastic example of this from the world of cricket, playing her first international test match just 6 weeks after her baby was born and its people like her who bring about big change. Cricket Australia now offers parental leave and practical support for players returning to competition, including travel arrangements for children and carers.

Personally, my return to cricket has not been without its challenges. What should have been my very first game I had to pull out due to a trip to A&E with my littlest the night before. We had exchanges of kids on the boundary because I’d take them for our batting innings. And, of course, a lot of negotiation on childcare! I couldn’t have done it without a hugely welcoming team and a very supportive husband. And there are still challenges.  Difficulties aside, I wish I’d come back to the game sooner. Cricket really offers that family friendly club environment that can really support getting back onto the field.

So what can clubs do to support Mum’s returning to cricket?

-          Making the ground a safe space for kids to play;

-          Provide flexibility with training - which often clash with parenting duties;

-          Host family social events to make cricket a fun space for the family; and

-          Offer flexible memberships that accommodate limited availability.

So this Mothers day, here’s to the mums driving kids to matches, scoring from the sidelines and picking up a bat again after years away. Because a cricket club where mothers play, coach and lead isn’t just better for women - it’s better for the entire game.