How the pandemic exposed a problem women’s cricket has always had

The game has always been split into the haves and have nots, an issue that was only exacerbated further by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic

England cricket captain Heather Knight (Getty Images)

Heather Knight was grateful for any opportunity to lace up her spikes during lockdown, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the ‘neglected’ female cricketers who weren’t so fortunate.

For the England captain, Covid-19 perfectly framed the existing inequalities in her sport. As competition ground to a halt, everyone finally started to see the full, alarming picture.

“I think one thing the pandemic has really highlighted are the discrepancies in how different boards all over the world treat and value women’s cricket,” she said.