I remember playing in Bradford and then the next day they wanted me to play for Sussex in Eastbourne against Trinidad and Tobago.' The player was fine but it is a tale that highlights the taxing nature of the tournament. 'One of the players in the tournament was so tired she actually fell asleep at the wheel and only woke up when she hit the crash barrier.' 'It was a lot of commitment and of course, we had to return to jobs,' remembers England's World Cup-winning wicketkeeper Shirley Hodges.
Today's generation is forever indebted to the women who paved the way, including those who competed in the first ever World Cup in 1973 - which was played two years before the inaugural men's version.
