Three Lassies
As The Hundred kicks off this year, an alternative voice on last year's Scottish influence
“Got got got…need need need”. Fur wance, up 'ere, this wisnae fitba stickers getting swapped in th' schuil playground. “I’ll swap ye Wyatt fur th' twa Bryces….aye a'richt, bit ainlie if ye gimme yer Maqsood”. This summer, 'twas cricket cards that became bairns Pokemon cards, pogs, yo-yo’s 'n' Tamagotchis.
Th' Hundred. ’Twas divisive. Fur many, it wull ne'er be celebrated. An unwanted multicoloured circus, dreamed up by marketing executives. Th' arguments against wur valid. Yit, fur they oan wham th' spotlight ne'er shines, th' opportunity changed lives. Fur Scottish cricket, it changed th’ game.
It matters mare whin it's yin o' yers. Whin thare is three o' thaim, tis impossible tae ignore. In Scotland, cricket bides on the boundaries o’ society. We needed something tae break th' echo chamber in which it currently exists. Th' secret gam thay ca' it. If ye ken, ye ken. A surprising number play it 'n' watch it, bit th' unconverted wull barely be conscious o' cricket’s existence. Bit, whin th' auld enemy ur getting shown up at thair ain gam, by some o' oor ain lassies, that wull git th’ mainstream listening. Noo th’ natives want tae ken.
Twa travelled tae th’ Midlands, yin ventured even further, tae the big smoke. Three lassies headed sooth tae play alongside, ’n’ compete wi’, th’ warld’s finest. A' three Scots, a' three playing a gam yer Da keeps insisting is “ainlie fur they Sassenach folk”, bit a' three, world class. Maist importantly, a’ three are oors; Sarah Bryce, Kathryn Bryce and Abtaha Maqsood.
Whipping aff th' bails wi' her feathery light glove wirk wis junior Bryce, Sarah. Th' maist dismissals fae a keeper in th' tournament helped leid her team tae the trophy. Her sister, oor country captain, barely heard o' at hame before now, shered th' freish baw wae worldwide superstar Katherine Brunt. Always bowling ticht lines wi' her devilish swing.
Th' real star though wis Maqsood wi' her majestic twist 'n' turn. A skill chiselled oot amongst th' dreich backdrop o' sooth Glesgae. This wis th' wan that hud bairns dreaming. A bold lassie, honing her craft amongst th' laddies 'n' stane brick tenements. Her story yin o' inspiration, perspiration 'n' perseverance. It lit up th' nationals 'n' th' internationals, reaching fae th' wast o Scotland o’er tae Pakistan 'n' India.
Yin day bowling tae th' familie in th' local council pairk, th' next she’s bowling fur 20,000 cheering fans. Flighting her leggies tae Van Niekirk, Rodrigues, Dunkley 'n' Matthews. Fur a Scot, playing a Sassenach game, 'twas an unthinkable progression. Th' toon o' th' bull ring wis th' perfect landing spot; Birmingham bein' a toon that seeks tae gie opportunity whaur it kin nae easily be found. This wasn’t simply an opportunity fur yin lassie, this wis opportunity fur th' bairns o' a hail nation.
Three o’ oors, thriving amongst a' o' thaim
Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Abtaha Maqsood……got got got.