All eyes were on Australian cricketer Alana King on Tuesday night as she was named Player of the Match at the Second ODI (One Day International) during the Women’s Ashes. The 29-year-old finished with 4-25 from 10 overs, helping secure a 21-run that gives Australia a significant lead ahead of England as the Women’s Ashes continue.
Speaking to Fox Cricket following the match, King said she was thrilled with the result and it only makes her more determined to continue playing hard over the next few weeks.
“Stoked to get the win – can’t get a much better result than that,” she said.
“I’m just stoked that the ball is coming out really well. I’m glad I can contribute to the green and gold that’s for sure. We saw there was enough in it when England bowled. We’ll fight to the very last ball no matter what.”
King makes her return to the Women’s Ashes after first making the Australian squad in 2022. Throughout her career, the spinner has not only worked hard on perfecting her game, but she’s been an avid advocate for greater cultural diversity and representation in cricket.
The cricketer of Anglo-Indian descent – whose parents migrated from Chennai to Melbourne in the 1980s before King was born was in 1995 – is not only a Cricket Australia Multicultural Ambassador, but has spoken fondly of connecting to her roots when travelling to India.
“I love India, I’ve been a few times with my family, so the opportunity to go back for their T20 Challenge this year meant more to me than just a chance to play cricket,” King told the ABC in 2022.
“It was held in Pune, which is pretty close to where my Mum and Dad were born, and it was so great to play alongside the Indian players and see the talent they have in their domestic pathways.”
Growing up in Melbourne, King was well versed in childhood backyard cricket, but didn’t see many brown women playing the sport professionally.
“Women’s cricket wasn’t really televised when I was a kid,” she told ESPNcricinfo in 2022.
“So I watched a lot of men’s cricket … [and] the man who I saw was Andrew Symonds, who was a person of colour.”
Her mother, Sharon echoes this, saying there wasn’t much encouragement on and off the cricket ground and screens, for South Asian girls to play cricket.
“Alana played with the boys initially, when she was about 15 years old,” Sharon previously told SBS.
“At that time, there weren’t many girls in cricket, and not many from the subcontinent. And I know she’d want more girls, and boys, from the subcontinent playing cricket at a higher level.”
Seeing Pakistani Australian Usman Khawaja play in the national men’s team has given King the determination to help be that representation for young South Asian women and girls.
“I know in the men’s team they’ve got Usman Khawaja,” King told ESPNcricinfo in the same 2022 interview. “I’m trying to do the same thing: encourage the subcontinent boys and girls to pick up a bat and ball, and say that there’s always going to be a place for you. If you’re good enough, you’ll represent Australia, if that’s your intention.”
King now continues playing with Australia against England during the Women’s Ashes, with a historic moment in store when the CommBank Women’s Ashes Day-Night Test takes place at the MCG from January 30 to February 2.
“The seven-match multi-format series includes T20 matches at the SCG, Manuka Oval and the Adelaide Oval and culminates in the historic first ever Day-Night Test at the MCG starting on January 30,” said Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley in an official press statement.
“This is shaping up to be an historic Ashes series that also celebrates the 90th anniversary of the first women’s Test match in December 1934.”
Top image source: Cricket Australia
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