England Women’s star Jenny Gunn has praised Derbyshire County Cricket Club in their bid for Derby to become a host city at the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England.
The 29-year-old first burst on to the international scene at the age of just 17 and has become an integral part of England Women’s side for the past decade.
She was awarded an MBE for services to cricket in 2014 and has played over 200 matches for England across all three formats, scoring over 4,500 runs with one more wicket required for 200 scalps.
At the start of April, Derbyshire County Cricket Club announced its intention to bid for Derby to become a host city for the Women’s World Cup in England in 2017 with the club unveiling giant stumps on the Pentagon Roundabout in Derby last week to symbolise their bid.
Gunn is relishing the prospect of the world cup in two years’ time and said Derby is a venue she has always enjoyed visiting
“It’s always nice to play at Derby especially with me being a relatively local girl,” Gunn said. “I think there is a great deal of difference between watching women’s cricket on TV and actually being there live at the ground,” said Gunn.
“We play a lot of cricket down south so it is always good to be able to play at places like Derby. Women’s cricket is stronger and popular than it has ever been. It is one of the rising sports worldwide at the moment.
“We’re all down to earth girls and you can actually get to know us by coming to our matches, it is such a different experience. We’ve played at Derby a few times and always enjoyed the experience.
“Every cricketer’s dream is to play in a World Cup on home soil. To be there on the field with your friends and family in the stands supporting you, it will be a fantastic feeling and a privilege for the players.
“We are all really excited about the tournament and we’re looking forward to expressing ourselves on the world stage again.”
Gunn revealed it was her father, Bryn Gunn, who was a professional footballer at Nottingham Forest as well as a talented cricketer, who first got her into playing cricket.
She also stated that she feels as proud playing for England now as she did 12 years ago.
“I was a little bit in shock when I first played for England. It was really nerve-wracking, but even now I still get goosebumps when I put on the England shirt. The thrill and excitement that you get is unbelievable and it is a massive honour.
“I was lucky in the sense that I came from a very sporting family. My father played in goal for Nottingham Forest, as well as playing cricket for Northamptonshire Second XI so it was all pretty much about football and cricket growing up.
“It all started as my Dad needed a fielder on the boundary for one or two games, I had a decent arm and started running a few players out and I really enjoyed it, that’s where it all began.
“The Women’s game has come on a lot since those days, and hopefully it will continue to grow in the next few years.”
Derbyshire welcome Australia to Derby in the Bell & Co Tourist Fixture. Buy your matchday tickets in advance & save £4 per adult ticket purchased. Watch international stars including Mitchell Johnson, Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and David Warner in action at Derby.
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