Need more domestic leagues to improve womenâs cricket, feels Jacob Oram
Former New Zealand cricketer Jacob Oram reckons womenâs cricket will flourish even faster if more domestic T20 leagues like the IPL and the Big Bash can be set up to add to the ICC events. Oram has been working with the New Zealand womenâs team as the bowling coach since early 2018.
An experienced T20 freelancer, this is Oramâs second stint with the White Ferns setup. As the Kiwi women face Australia in a virtual quarter-final at the ongoing women's T20 World Cup at the Junction Oval in Melbourne, Oram is glad to see the growth and nuances of women's cricket from his perspective. But he has a wish list for the womenâs game, for the next five years.
âJust the more cricket that can be played the better, just like what it does for the men's game. You've got the leagues in England, in Australia with the WBBL, the [women's] IPL looks like it's starting; they've had a couple of little tastes of it. Why not kick that off? The women's game is heading upwards, so it has to just continue. The ICC events are great; they seem to be having one every year almost, and more domestic leagues will get more exposure to the masses, with more young girls involved and that's going to be great for New Zealand and the world at large,â Oram told ESPNCricinfo in an interview.
Having had a taste of top-flight cricket in the men's and women's game, Oram doesnât feel a comparison between the pace bowlers is necessary. The 42-year-old was quick to point out the strength of the spin bowling fraternity, of which New Zealandâs Amelia Kerr is the latest addition.
âThe main difference between the men's and women's game is, obviously, the pace and the power difference. Spin bowling is one of the strongest skills I've seen in women's game - very smart, very skilful, but the actual intricacies of seam bowling we try to preach in particular is the accuracy and consistency. I don't think it's necessarily comparing men's and women's seam bowling; it's just working towards what you got,â he said.
Things are heating up at the ongoing Womenâs T20 World Cup, with upsets being a consistent theme throughout. India beat Australia in the opening game of the tournament to set it off and according to Oram, it is an indication of the narrowing gulf between powerhouse teams like Australia and the other teams.Â
"Yeah, I do. Don't get me wrong, the gulf is still there. We've performed averagely, especially the other day - Bangladesh did really well there, Pakistan beat [2016 T20 World Cup winners] West Indies, and even Sri Lanka in this tournament have been really good. I think the gap is getting closer but the gap is still there,â Oram added.Â
