International cricket star Issy Wong talks about the success of The Hundred, increased equality in the game and the magic of Brum’s Commonwealth Games

We chatted to fast bowler Issy Wong as she prepared to pull on the distinctive Birmingham Phoenix shirt for the fourth time. Kicking off on 23 July, The Hundred has become a firm favourite in the sporting calendar attracting record crowds and giving the sport a massive boost as well as raising the profile of the women’s game thanks to its unique double header format. Issy explains that the format wasn’t part of the original plans for the tournament, and we have Covid to thank for that.

The pandemic meant that the launch of The Hundred was delayed for a year allowing for more time to get it right. The double header format which sees men and women competing back-to-back was only mooted then. Women play first followed by the men in the evening slot which is one of the most successful parts of the tournament in our view.

It means the women have equal billing with the men and both games are televised on the BBC. The stars of the women’s game including Issy have become household names. Of the packed grounds Issy says: “There’s no better feeling than those crowds particularly at a home game. No one knew what it (The Hundred) would turn into. It’s amazing. Also, TV coverage on the BBC is massive making it accessible for more people.”

GOOD VIBES

Issy got an inkling of the tournament’s potential early on when she did a stint commentating on the opening game at the Oval just two days before the Phoenix’s first game at Edgbaston. She says: “The crowd was roughly 12,000 strong and when Mady Villiers hit a six they went nuts. I just thought, ‘wow!’” Inspiring youngsters has been a brilliant by-product of the rise of the women’s game and Issy points out it’s just as important for boys to see strong female role models in the game as girls. She says: “Boys looking up to women is just as powerful as inspiring young girls.”

When Issy got into cricket, there were no high-profile female players aside from trailblazer Rachael Heyhoe-Flint. Issy remembers being super competitive as a small child and in the playground. She always wanted to be hitting the ball the hardest or throwing a ball the furthest – whatever the sport she wanted to win. An after-school club was Issy’s first taste of cricket which she took to straight away.

She progressed to local club level and aged nine was encouraged to trial for Warwickshire which was successful. As well as at county level, she’s enjoyed success regionally and nationally for teams including Southern Vipers and Central Sparks. Issy found out about her Central Sparks contract on her eighteenth birthday which meant she left school and became a professional cricketer.

WORLD CLASS

Generally, Issy thinks Birmingham punches above its weight in terms of sport. She says: “The connection to sport in the city is strong. We’ve got world class athletics, football clubs, Warwickshire cricket.” She also recalls the magic of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 at which T20 cricket debuted. Issy says: “Walking into Alexander Stadium which I’d regularly been to as a kid watching Diamond League athletics was amazing.” Playing as part of Team England at the Games was a pinch me moment. Issy recalls: “At one point Sophie Eccleston whispered to me, ‘You’ll remember this for the rest of your life.’”

When Issy’s not playing cricket, she’s watching football in the flesh or on TV and in particular her beloved Liverpool. It’s a family thing which she was introduced to at just six-months-old wrapped up in the stands – her sporting hero is the club’s former striker, Fernando Torres. Cricket has meant she’s missed two Champions League finals which her family travelled to.

WINNING WAYS

Ambitions for the Phoenix this year are high. Issy says: “The vibe at Phoenix is good. We’re going into the tournament giving it a shot at winning. Last year we didn’t win a game but lost the middle five by just 15 runs, so close.” In our view, the biggest winner in The Hundred is cricket. If you’ve never been to a game, you’re missing a trick. The atmosphere is electric and the pace of the game is lively and explosive. We’ve been every year since the launch with our kids in tow and we’ll be donning our tangerine caps again in August willing the Phoenix to win.