I played cricket with my cousins when I was a teenager, and then a little at university, but never anything serious. When Hannah was at primary school, she was invited through Chance to Shine to cricket sessions at Moseley CC. During Hannah’s first net session, I was watching on and absolutely itching to have a hit myself. I plucked up the courage to ask to join in winter nets and that’s how I rekindled my cricketing career in my 40’s, albeit in a more serious manner the second time round.

I just love the team camaraderie and making the most of my free time being active in the fresh air. It’s good to keep active through enjoying sport – although there was that time I was batting with Wongi, she called “Three”, and I thought I was going to need some oxygen when I landed my bat!

With Hannah and I both playing cricket, it was logical that Lottie would join in from a young age. In fact, Lottie played cricket for Warwickshire U11 girls at the age of nine before she had even played at club level as there were relatively few opportunities for girls to play at club level. Lottie is 16 now and the situation is totally different for young girls coming through, with so many clubs investing in girls’ sections.

Yes, all three of us played together once – in fact it was all four of us, as my husband Luke was playing too! Hannah is the captain of the Earlswood CC 5ths and there was one match where the whole family played. Hannah threw me the ball and said, “Do you want a bowl, Mom?”. This was followed by an amusing discussion with the opposition as to whether it really was the captain’s mum who was about to bowl. The player I bowled out took it quite well when “Mom” took his wicket! I never have a name when I play with the girls; I’m just “Mom”.

In the same match, my husband Luke dropped a catch off my bowling. I didn’t need to say anything to him as the girls’ looks to their dad said it all!

Hannah and Lottie coach together in the junior section at Kings Heath CC (I help when my diary allows). Lottie is an All Stars Activator and also coaches women coming into hardball from softball cricket. She loves playing alongside some of the same women in the Kings Heath Super 8’s women’s team.

As a player, I am most proud of representing England in the Over 35’s World Cup in 2016. When I was 13 or 14 years old, it was my ambition to represent my country at ‘something’, standing there with the national anthem playing. It doesn’t matter that I was in my 40’s when it happened - I got there. The World Cup was also an incredible opportunity to play against and meet other players from all over the globe. I am still in touch with people from South Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand after that event.

As a coach, I am most proud of having coached the Warwickshire U15 girls’ development team with Clark. As a coaching team we wanted the girls to win, of course, but more than that we wanted them to enjoy playing cricket and benefit from the life skills involvement brings. Cricket is a great way for girls and boys to develop their life skills in a supportive environment – resilience, teamwork, dealing with disappointment, problem solving etc. It’s also about having the opportunity to meet new people and travel, to become more independent too. Not everyone gets the spotlight in cricket and goes on to play at a high level, but there are so many benefits for everyone who plays in terms of their own development as a person.

Hannah, aged 20, is already on that track to do just that. She is taking a degree in Sports Coaching and Performance at Worcester University and hoping to follow this with a Masters in Disability Coaching. Hannah’s own learning disability has given her insight into disability coaching and an interest in pursuing a career in that area. As well as having been the captain of the Warwickshire Access CC team for the past three seasons, Hannah is involved in coaching the team and also works part time in other coaching roles in schools. Hannah really is a fantastic role model for anyone wanting to play and coach cricket.