OPINION: One big step for cricket, one giant leap for women’s sport

For all the thrills and excitement they delivered on the field, it wasn’t so much the performances of the Proteas women that was most inspiring during the T20 World Cup, but rather the reaction of South Africa’s people.

In a society which is trying to move away from its patriarchal history, and move towards a state of equality, interest is rising in women’s sport but it’s a long, slow process.

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Women possess the skills and ability to perform with equal class and offer as much entertainment as men on the field of play. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that women’s sport receives such a small portion of exposure and support that young girls don’t have the same motivation to compete as young boys do. In many sports, the development and opportunities offered to boys is also significantly higher than that available to girls.

And this lack of development stretches all the way through to international senior level, where the quality of performances does little to motivate girls to play sport, creating a vicious never-ending circle.

Huge strides

Some sports, however, are making huge strides, and the better the national teams perform, the more exposure they get and the more they motivate young girls to take up these codes.

Despite being thumped by Australia in the World Cup final, the Proteas women were phenomenal, becoming the first national cricket team to reach the trophy contest at a global championship.

The reaction to this achievement was equally fantastic, with South Africa throwing its full weight behind the team as fans flocked to Newlands to watch the game and millions tuning in to watch on television at home.

They didn’t beat a superb Australian team, but their progress was enough to give them exposure which women’s cricket has never received in this country. For the first time, we gave the women’s squad the same kind of support the men’s side has always received and it was a major breakthrough.

There’s still a long way to go, but we’re getting there, and the support offered to the Proteas was more than a big step forward for cricket. It was a giant leap for women’s sport.