Sarah’s ‘glove story’ an inspiration back home

Dream-Catcher: Sarah took some important catches and effected a few spectacular stumpings. | Photo: Sportzpics/WPL

The WPL allows a team to field a fifth foreigner as long as she comes from an associate nation. Delhi Capitals made use of that provision in the just-concluded third edition, handing the keeping gloves to Sarah Bryce of Scotland. And Bryce grabbed that opportunity with both her gloves.

She took some important catches and effected a few spectacular stumpings, two of which happened within a space of six balls in the match against UP Warriorz at Vadodara.

She was smart, agile and really quick to surprise Deepti Sharma and Tahlia McGrath. She also scored a 10-ball 21 down the order in DC’s last ball victory against Mumbai Indians.

And watching her do all that from the stands were her parents, James and Susan, who flew down from Edinburgh.

Proud parents: Susan and James Bryce flew down from Edinburgh to watch their daughter in action in the WPL. | Photo: P.K. Ajith Kumar

“We decided to come to India to watch the WPL as soon as she was selected by Delhi Capitals,” said James, a former university lecturer in plant science. “It was great that we could watch her play and do well.”

They had both come to India last year too, as their elder daughter Kathryn Bryce had played for Gujarat Giants.

“It is really a nice thing that the associate players are getting an opportunity at the WPL,” said the proud mother Susan, a retired geriatrics doctor at the NHS in the UK.

“And Tara Norris (of the United States) also did well when she got a chance in the first WPL, didn’t she? My daughters playing at the WPL is a big inspiration for all the girls playing cricket back home in Scotland.”

Women’s cricket is getting better in Scotland, said Susan. The sisters had played at the recent T20 World Cup in the UAE.

“Scotland qualifying for the World Cup was a really big step up for them,” she said. “It was a tremendous experience for them, really. They have both had very good 12 months. They won the Charlotte Edwards Cup and played in the WBBL, too.”

In the Charlotte Edwards Cup, Kathryn was the player-of-the-final, top-scoring with 62 for The Blaze against South East Stars, while Sarah made 52 not out.